The Missouri Book Festival celebrates the best of regional life, culture, and history with an array of dynamic programming meant to promote literacy and encourage reading. Events take place in Washington, the quintessential Missouri town. Here, books that feature stories on the Show-Me State come to life in food demonstrations, sports exhibitions, myriad forms of performance, and lively author talks and discussions.
Mission
When we read our favorite books for the first time, the senses heighten, and the heart and mind open. The spirit soars and the imagination surges, as the story leaps from the confines of the page and into our consciousness. Our world changes forever because of the unparalleled and sometimes transformative power of the book.
In a singular celebration of literature, the first-ever Missouri Book Festival will bring our region’s most exciting and emblematic stories to life. The festival will highlight regional history, food, music, sports, art, and more through interactive programs presented by Missouri authors. These events will engage and entertain attendees, who will discover reading as both the connection to endless subjects and the ultimate catalyst of our imagination.
A literary event like no other, MoBookFest will spark passion for reading while inspiring future generations of Missourians to become lifelong learners.
Why Washington?
The Best Read Community in America, Washington is a beautiful historic riverfront town with a strong commitment to reading. In 2020, Washington and its nearby neighbors logged more than 1.5 million pages of reading! A long-running youth literacy program supported by dozens of community partners and the nonprofit Community Literacy Foundation has provided more than 20,000 new books to area schools and libraries. Hundreds of children, parents and grandparents gather at the community’s annual Family Reading Night each spring to celebrate the importance of reading together. In the fall, the annual Run to Read offers books to dashers, walkers and runners in exchange for a morning of fitness. Washington is well-known to authors from across the state—and nation. The community’s independent bookstore, Neighborhood Reads, and the Washington Public Library and its Friends organization, both work to introduce authors to readers of all ages throughout the year.
April 18, 2026
9am – 2pm
Washington Public Library
410 Lafayette St., Washington, MO 63090
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