More details about presenters are forthcoming. Keep up with the Festival on Facebook at Nebraska Book Festival Event page.
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.
Meet the Authors
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| Andy Boyle | Michael Forsberg | Melissa Fraterrigo |
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| Janice Harrington | Jeff Kurrus | Stew Magnuson |
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| Brandon Vogel |
Program Schedule
Updated as of
July 17, 2018, the schedule of programing is open to change.
FRIDAY,
AUGUST 24TH - OPENING EVENT - Center for Great Plains, 1155 Q Street
5:00-7:00 p.m. - Join the Center for Great Plains Studies for a celebration launching two new titles in the Discover the Great Plains series,
Great Plains Politics by Peter J. Longo and Great Plains Literature Linda Ray Pratt. The authors will give short talks and sign books during this event.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25TH - 2018 PRESENTING AUTHORS - AUDITORIUM
9:30-10:00 a.m. - Jeff Kurrus and Michael Forsberg - [Children’s] Growing Young Reader Literacy through Nature. Sponsored by Lincoln City Libraries and the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press.
10:15-10:45 a.m. - Janice N. Harrington - Children’s
Session. Janice Harrington will read from her books, tell stories, present silly poetry, and share Nebraska memories. Sponsored by Humanities Nebraska.
11:00-11:45 a.m. - Nebraska, Our Muse, Our Song. Join editors and poets of Nebraska Presence, the 2018 One Book One Nebraska selection,
in the exploration and celebration of our state's history and people.
12:30-1:15 p.m. - Brandon Vogel - A By-the-Book Championship.
1:30-2:15 p.m. - Jeff Kurrus and Michael Forsberg - Adult Session Discussing Young Reader Literacy through Nature. Sponsored by Lincoln City Libraries and the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press.
2:30-3:15 p.m. - Melissa Fraterrigo - Writing A Book: From Roadblocks to Insights and Everything In-between. Sponsored by the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press.
3:30-4:15 p.m. - Stew Magnuson - Take a trip down Highway 83 with award-winning author Stew Magnuson. Sponsored by Humanities Nebraska
4:30-5:15 p.m. - Janice N. Harrington - Adult Session. Listeners will view and discuss paintings from World War I and hear poems from Primitive, Harrington's book about painter Horace H. Pippin, who fought with the Harlem Hellfighters during World War I. Sponsored by Humanities Nebraska
5:30-6:15 p.m. - Andy Boyle - How to Adult. Join journalist and technologist Andy Boyle, author of the acclaimed Adulthood for Beginners, in a funny and engaging step-by-step talk on becoming the best adult you can be. Sponsored by UNL's College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25TH - NEBRASKA WRITERS GUILD ROOM - CENTENNIAL ROOM
9:00 a.m. - Author Readings by Cort Fernald, Michel Meyers, and Charlene Pierce.
9:30 a.m. - “Cleaning Up Your Manuscript: Revising Your Manuscript One Writing Craft Skill at a Time” by Margaret Lukas.
10:15 a.m. - Voice from the Plains Readings and Book Signing by Charlene Pierce, Kolleen Meyer-Krikac, Margie Lukas, and Cort Fernald.
11:00 a.m. - “Let's Have A Dialogue About Dialogue” by Johnnye Gerhardt
11:45 a.m. - "Having Fun With Writing Prompts!" Bring Your Lunch, join Katherine Wielechowski and Sarah Buhrman.
1:30 p.m. - “An Introduction to Writing Narrative Nonfiction” by Stew Magnuson
2:30 p.m. - “Creating School Author Events that Get You Invited Again” by Nancy Sharp Wagner
3:30 p.m. - “Self-Publishing: A Viable Option for Authors” by Lisa Pelto
4:15 p.m. - Author Readings by Johnnye Gerhardt, Kolleen Meyer-Krikac, Steve Bruttig, Cort Fernald, and more.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25TH - CONCIERGE MARKETING ROOM - CENTENNIAL ROOM
CELEBRATE BOOKS MAKER ACTIVITIES! - Come craft, draw, imagine and create in the Celebrate Books Maker
Activities event! We’ll have lots of fun activities for kids and adults.
1. Bookmarks: Create your own amazing bookmark! We’ll have tons of fun craft materials to make your bookmark your own!
2. Create-a-Cover: Draw random words from our mystery bowls and create a title and cover for the book based on those words! The best cover will win a great prize!
3. Multi-Author Story: Help us write a story! Each new participant writes the next line of a story to create a fun, creative adventure for all.
4. Colorful Characters Wall Mural: We’re going to create a mural! Draw your favorite book character or come up with your very own on our large mural wall.
This room will be open all day Saturday. Concierge Marketing is really looking forward to the creativity and spreading the love of books at the festival!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 26TH - CLOSING EVENT - Center for Great Plains, 1155 Q Street
2:00 p.m. - Join the Center for Great Plains Studies for a book launch for The Sea Grass: A Family Tale from the American Heartland by Walter Echo-Hawk.
This event is co-sponsored by the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs.
Exhibit at the 2018 Nebraska Book Festival!
View a list of the 2018 Vendors!
The deadline for vendors is now past.
All exhibitors can sell books and other products or market and promote their organizations. In 2018, exhibiting with the NBF is FREE!
The Nebraska Book Festival welcomes vendors from literary, educational, and local organizations to participate.
History
The 2017 Nebraska Book Festival marked the 24th 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.
- 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
Related Links
-
National Book Festival — Washington, DC
Sponsors
- Nebraska Center for the Book
- Nebraska Library Commission
- University of Nebraska Press
- Lincoln City Libraries
Keep up with the Festival at https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaBookFestival.