Heartland Book Festival returns this October with authors, workshops, and a Pulitzer Prize winner

August 26, 2025

Rowan Bickelhaupt,

Photo by Kenney Ellison

Book lovers, rejoice! Whether you’re a lifelong bibliophile or a casual reader looking for your next great read, the Heartland Book Festival is back—and bigger than ever.

Now in its third year, this city-wide celebration of the written word is presented by Missouri Humanities, The Kansas City Public Library, Mid-Continent Public Library, and the Missouri Affiliate for the Library of Congress. With new authors, workshops, and partnerships, this year’s festival promises something for everyone.

The festival unites readers across the region through the power of storytelling—and 2025 is shaping up to be its most exciting year yet.

Photo by Kenney Ellison

The event features an array of workshops, panels, local vendors, and even activities for children. Best of all? All events are free to the public and welcome all ages. Headlining this year’s festival are several acclaimed authors:

Percival Everett, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for James, opens the festival Friday night.
Taylor Jenkins Reid (Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo) will discuss her latest novel Atmosphere, in conversation with Kansas City-based author Adib Khorram, who will also present his forthcoming book It Had to Be Him and lead a special storytime from his award-winning picture book, Bijan Always Wins.
Nnedi Okorafor, known for blending African culture with sci-fi and fantasy, will speak about her latest work, Death of the Author.
For young readers, Derrick Barnes will preview his upcoming middle-grade novel, The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze.

The Heartland Book Festival takes place on:

October 10 at the Mid-Continent Public Library
October 11 at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Library

All events are free and open to all ages. Tickets are available starting August 27. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate stories, meet authors, and connect with fellow book lovers—I know I’ll be there. For more information, visit https://www.heartlandbookfest.org/.