2025 Nebraska Celebration of Books Program Schedule
Updated as of October 27, 2025, the schedule of programing is open to change.
FRIDAY,
NOVEMBER 14TH - TRIVIA NIGHT - White Elm Brewing (720 Van Dorn Street)
SATURDAY,
NOVEMBER 15TH - 2025 EVENTS & FEATURED AUTHORS - University of Nebraska Union & Jackie Gaughn Multicultural Center (1400 R Street) - All sessions 45 minutes
5:30 p.m. - Trivia Night -- Join us at White Elm Brewing for a pre-festival event featuring Nebraska book and literary trivia and $4 pints for trivia participants.
10:00 a.m. - 3:00pm - Vendor Market – Multicultural Center - Unity Room
-- Booksellers, publishers, authors, nonprofits, and commercial vendors will be selling their goods or giving out information all day at the festival.
10:00 a.m. - Nebraska Book Award Author Roundtable - Multicultural Center - Ubuntu Room
-- A selection of authors and illustrators who received a 2025 Nebraska Book Award will be discussing their winning books and answering questions.
Featured authors: Non-Fiction and Poetry Winners -- Gail Shaffer Blankenau, Kim Hachiya, Colby Coash, Bob Ross, and Judy Brackett Crowe.
11:00 a.m. - Nebraska Book Award Author Roundtable - Multicultural Center - Ubuntu Room
-- A selection of authors and illustrators who received a 2025 Nebraska Book Award will be discussing their winning books and answering questions.
Featured authors: Fiction, Children & Teen, and Cover/Design/Illustration Winners -- DD Davenport, Kailee Pedersen, Mylisa Larsen, Alison Pearce Stevens,
Drew Davies, and Quentin Fortney.
Noon - 3:00 p.m. - Writing Workshop - Heritage Suite --
Writing Workshop facilitated and sponsored by Larksong Writers Place.
Noon - 1:00 p.m. - Quiet Book Club – Multicultural Center - Mandala Lounge --
Bring your own book, or buy a new one, and come read in the company of strangers for a quiet book club at the festival.
All readers welcome.
1:00 p.m. - One Book One Nebraska Author Talk – Multicultural Center - Ubuntu Room --
Nebraska author Tosca Lee will give a presentation on her 2025 OBON book selection “The Long March Home” co-written with Marcus Brotherton.
2:00 p.m. - In Conversation with Matt Mason & Jewel Rodgers – Swanson Auditorium --
Join us for a cozy chat between the former and current Nebraska State Poets Matt Mason and
Jewel Rodgers as they discuss their roles and experiences as state poets,
poetry in Nebraska, personal favorite poets/poems, and more.
3:15 p.m. - Awards Open House - Heritage Suite --
Prior to the awards presentations, this event will feature author signings and books available for purchase for the Nebraska Book Award winners. Refreshments provided by the University of Nebraska Press.
4:00 p.m. - Awards Presentations and OBON Announcement - Swanson Auditorium --
2025 Nebraska Book Awards presentations, each author may speak up to 5 minutes as they receive their 2025 awards.
Jane Geske and Mildred Bennett Award presentations and the announcement of the 2026 One Book One Nebraska Selection will close the evening
Host Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
