For more information:

Amy Lage
Festival Coordinator
Phone: 402-472-2759
Email

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 Nebraska Book Awards

2023  Nebraska Book Festival

Free and open to the public! More details about presenters are forthcoming. Keep up with the Festival on Facebook at Nebraska Book Festival Event page.

One Brilliant Flame Book Cover Kwame Dawes headshot Ted Genoways Headshot Carla Kentner Headshot
 

Philosophy

The festival is held to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors and to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. By gathering together contemporary writing talent of our state and surrounding areas, the festival provides an opportunity for participants to cultivate an understanding of our history, culture and community.

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Meet the Presenters & Authors

The String Beans Headshot Prime Time Reading Prairie Trout Writers
The String Beans Prime Time Reading Prairie Trout Writers Group
Matt Mason Headshot Dana Fritz Headshot Joy Castro Headshot
Matt Mason Dana Fritz Joy Castro
Carla Kentner Headshot John Mabry Headshot
Carla Ketner John Mabry  

Program Schedule

Updated as of April 17, 2023, the schedule of programing is open to change.

Saturday, JUNE 10TH - Literary Trivia - White Elm Brewing (720 Van Dorn St)

Starting at 6:00pm Join us at While Elm Brewing for drinks and Literary trivia! 


SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH - 2023 EVENTS & FEATURED AUTHORS - Lincoln Foundation Garden & LCL Bennett Martin Branch (1415 N Street)

10:00 a.m. - The String Beans -- Local Lincoln music group for kids and families. From pop and country to rap and rock n’ roll, these goofy guys perform a wide variety of original, family-friendly songs about all the things kids love: animals, cartoons, food, science, sports and more! Each show is hilarious, inclusive and spontaneous, and each catchy tune is designed to get every audience dancing and singing along!

11:00 - Noon - Prime Time Family Reading Story hour -- Sponsored by Humanities Nebraska. Led by a storyteller and discussion leader, children and their families meet to read and discuss an award-winning children’s book. Discussion encourages critical and analytical thinking, helps develop connections between storybooks and real-life situations. Our Prime Time storyteller / discussion leader duo will be Kylie Barber and Will Teegerstrom from Calvert Elementary. The books are: Mole Music by David McPhail and The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater. We will give away two copies of each book at the end of the program as door prizes.

Noon-12:45 p.m. - Carla Ketner -- Author and Illustrator Event for elementary children and will be all about her soon-to-be-released book about Ted Kooser, Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder.

Noon - 12:45 p.m. - “Pull Back the Curtain” on title selection for One Book One Nebraska and One Book One Lincoln --

1:00 - 1:45 p.m. - Prairie Trout Writing Group Panel, moderated by Pat Leach -- The Prairie Trout writing group includes award-winning authors Pam Barger, Twyla Hansen, Mary Pipher, Marge Saiser and Karen Shoemaker. For this event, they will read individually from their works and address questions about the impact of the group and the evolution of their work together.

2:00-2:50 p.m. - Author Panel, interviewed by Pat Leach, with Nebraska Authors Joy Castro, Dana Fritz and John Mabry.

3:00-4:00 p.m. - Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason - Slam Poetry Showcase featuring Greg Harries, Trac Schacht, Bianca Swift, and Noni Williams.


SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH - Non scheuled activies

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Local Food trucks, Vendor stalls for local booksellers and authors, Zine making activity tables, Poetry Typwriter Booth, Face painting, Balloon animals.

History

The 2023 Nebraska Book Festival marked the 27th annual book festival dating back to 1991. Historically, the Nebraska Book Festival has offered high-quality speakers, presenters, moderators, and workshop facilitators.

The Nebraska Book Festival (formerly the Nebraska Literature Festival 1991-2001) has been co-sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Humanities Nebraska (formerly Nebraska Humanities Council) since its inception in 1991. The Nebraska Library Commission and many other organizations and individuals have contributed to the festivals over the years.

The change of name from Nebraska Literature Festival to Nebraska Book Festival broadens the scope of the event to include contemporary Nebraska writers and books, as well as the great classic writers of Nebraska’s literary heritage. The festival is dedicated to Nebraska writers and Nebraska books. It celebrates the reading and writing life of the Great Plains.

Festivals

Click on a year for event details, photos, festival programs, and more.

    2018 August 25, UNL City Campus Union, Lincoln
    2017 July 15, Union Plaza, Lincoln
    2016 No festival held in this year
    2015 April 25, UNO Community Engagement Center, Omaha
    2014 April 25-26, UNO Thompson Alumni Center, Omaha
    2013 April 5-6, UNO Thompson Alumni Center, Omaha
    2012 March 31, Downtown Lincoln
    2011 May 21, Downtown Lincoln
    2010 No festival held in this year
    2009 November 14, Downtown Lincoln
    2008 October 17-18, Downtown Lincoln
    2007 October 26-28, Downtown Lincoln
    2006 October 6-7, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln
    2005 October 7-8, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln
    2004 September 17-18, University of Nebraska at Kearney
    2003 October 24-25, Creighton University, Omaha
    2002 September 13-14, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, Grand Island
    2001 September 21-22, Peru State College, Peru
    2000 September 15-17, Beatrice & Lincoln
    1999 September 17-18, Chadron State College, Chadron
    1998 September 17-19, Wayne State College, Wayne
    1997 No festival was held in this year
    1996 September 20-21, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    1995 September 22-23, University of Nebraska at Kearney
    1994 September 22-24, University of Nebraska at Omaha
    1993 September 17-18, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    1992 September 25-26, University of Nebraska at Kearney
    1991 September 28, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Sponsors

Nebraska Center for the Book Logo       

       

Francie and Finch BookShop        Humanities Nebraska logo
MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS SUPPORTING SPONSOR KEY SPONSOR
Lincoln Journal Star
KFOR
10/11
Nebraska Center for the Book
Nebraska Library Commission
University of Nebraska Press
Lincoln City Libraries
Humanities Nebraska
Friends of the University of Nebraska Press
Union Bank
Francie & Finch BookShop
Lincoln Comunity Foundation

Facebook

Keep up with the Festival at https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaBookFestival.