2026 Nebraska Celebration of Books Program Schedule
Updated as of April 28, 2026, the schedule of programing is open to change.
FRIDAY,
NOVEMBER 13TH - TRIVIA NIGHT -
SATURDAY,
NOVEMBER 14TH - 2026 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 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 2026 Nebraska Book Award will be discussing their winning books and answering questions.
Featured authors: Non-Fiction and Poetry Winners.
11:00 a.m. - Making Nebraska Home Panel - Multicultural Center - Ubuntu Room
-- Panel of editors and essayists from The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees: Tales of Migration, Hope, Grief, and Finding Home in Nebraska from the University of Nebraska Press.
Noon - 1:00 p.m. - Nebraska Center for the Book Annual
Meeting - Heritage Suite --
.
Noon - 12:45 p.m. - Self-Publishing Panel - Heritage Suite --
.
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. - Nebraska Book Award Author Roundtable - Multicultural Center - Ubuntu Room
-- A selection of authors and illustrators who received a 2026 Nebraska Book Award will be discussing their winning books and answering questions.
Featured authors: Fiction, Children & Teen, and Cover/Design/Illustration Winners.
2:00 p.m. - One Book One Nebraska Author Talk – Swanson Auditorium --
a presentation on the 2026 OBON book selection “The Antidote: A Novel” written by Karen Russell.
3:15 p.m. - Awards Open House & Author Signings - Heritage Suite --
Prior to the awards presentations, this event will feature author signings and books available for purchase for the Nebraska Book Award winners and One Book One Nebraska selections. Refreshments provided by the University of Nebraska Press.
4:00 p.m. - Awards Presentations and OBON Announcement - Swanson Auditorium --
2026 Nebraska Book Awards presentations, each author may speak up to 5 minutes as they receive their 2026 awards.
Jane Geske and Mildred Bennett Award presentations and the announcement of the 2027 One Book One Nebraska Selection will close the evening.
Host Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
