Margaret Atwood, Colson Whitehead and Tony Shalhoub are among the big names headed to downtown Miami this November for Miami Book Fair.
Now in its 43rd year, the fair runs Nov. 15-22 at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus and will feature nearly 500 authors across a wide range of programs, from intimate ticketed talks and literary discussions to children’s activities and multilingual events. Other notable participants include Salman Rushdie, Judy Blume, Tony Shalhoub, Bonnie Garmus, Marlon James, Hernan Diaz, Sophia Bush and Jeff Garlin.
Beyond the headline authors, the fair’s schedule includes a robust lineup of fiction, nonfiction and poetry events, along with dedicated programs focused on Jewish life and culture, Caribbean literature, romance, business and technology, South Florida stories and Spanish-language writers.
One of the festival’s central attractions
One of the festival’s central attractions is the Evenings With series, which brings readers face-to-face with prominent authors and public figures. This year’s slate includes conversations with Shalhoub and his daughter, Josie Adams; Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Whitehead; actor and comedian Garlin; bestselling romance author Elena Armas; NPR’s “Planet Money” hosts Alex Mayyasi and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi; and Booker Prize-winning author Rushdie.
“One of my favorite things about the Fair is seeing people come for a writer they love and discover someone they hadn’t heard of,” Lissette Mendez, executive director of Miami Book Fair, said in a press release. “This year’s lineup gives readers so many ways to do that, whether they’re here for a novel, a family story, a favorite performer or a book to share with their children.”
Miami Book fair 2024. Street Fair at Wolfson Campus on Nov 24, 2024.
The fair’s three-day Street Fair, Nov. 20-22, transforms downtown Miami into a sprawling marketplace of booksellers, publishers, author presentations, food vendors and live entertainment. Families can also explore Children’s Alley, which offers storytelling, science demonstrations and hands-on activities. The fair’s children’s and young adult programming also features popular authors including Meg Cabot, of “The Princess Diaries,” and Sabaa Tahir, author of “An Ember in the Ashes.”
Another major event is the Fourth Annual Next
Another major event is the Fourth Annual Next Page Dinner on Nov. 20 at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami. The fundraiser will honor bestselling author Blume and the late Sandy Nusbaum and his family, longtime supporters of Miami Book Fair, while featuring a special tribute to Atwood. Guests will dine alongside participating authors, with proceeds supporting the fair’s year-round literacy and educational programs for children.
“The Fair has always been a place where readers can hear from writers they admire and encounter a different point of view,” Mitchell Kaplan, founder of Miami Book Fair and Books & Books, said in a press release. “Miami brings together so many languages and cultures. We want the Fair to reflect that, and to make room for the conversations that happen when people share their stories.”
For more information, visit miamibookfair.com.
