The Boston Book Festival returns to Copley Square!

Celebrating the power of words to stimulate, agitate, unite, delight, and inspire, the Boston Book Festival presents year-round events culminating in an annual festival that promotes a culture of reading and ideas and enhances the vibrancy of our city.

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Copley Square

Free

Now Announcing Our 2022 Headliners

They’re creatives and change-makers, New York Times bestsellers award winners, storytellers and social commentators… Get to know our headliners for BBF 2022.

Patrick Radden Keefe

Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks

Friday Kickoff Keynote

Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Nonfiction Keynote

Gish Jen

Thank You, Mr. Nixon: Stories

Fiction Keynote

Yiyun Li

The Book of Goose

Fiction Keynote

Malinda Lo

A Scatter of Light

YA Keynote

Tui T. Sutherland

The Flames of Hope (Wings of Fire #15)

Kids Keynote

View the Full List of BBF 2022 Headliners

Volunteer with Us!

The BBF is returning in person to Copley Square on Saturday, October 29, and we need YOU to help us make it the best Festival yet. From assisting attendees in finding their way around, to supporting author sessions, we have a spot for you. Be there when we return to the Square!

Volunteer with the BBF

Announcing our 2022 Shelf Help Winners

In 2017, we launched our Shelf Help partnership program, where two Boston-area school libraries to receive brand-new, high-quality, and culturally relevant books to fill their shelves and a memorable school visit by a celebrated children’s or YA author or illustrator. This year, we’re pleased to announce our 2022 recipients: UP Academy Holland and Malden High School. Learn more and donate to fill the libraries at the link.

Shelf Help School Partnership

Donate Today

Our annual Festival is free to attend—but we rely on donors at every level to ensure that it is. Donations keep our literary programing in the city of Boston going strong, like our annual Festival, our Shelf Help School Partnership program, Lit Crawl Boston, and other valuable initiatives. Visit our Donate page to learn more, and to start supporting the Boston Book Festival—and literacy and literary endeavors in your community—today.

Donate to the BBF

Applications Now Open for Exhibitors

We’re returning to Copley Square on Saturday, October 29, 2022 — which means that the lively street fest returns with us. Will you be there? Applications are now open for 2022 exhibitors.

Become an Exhibitor

BBF 2021 Virtual Sessions

Catch up on our 2021 virtual sessions before the return to Copley Square this October. Over two dozens sessions for kids, fiction and non-fiction fans, middle grade and YA readers, and more are available on our Crowdcast channel.

BBF Crowdcast Channel

Presenting Partner