Welcome to the 2026 New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University! Get ready to dive into a celebration of words and imagination. Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of the festival on Tulane’s uptown campus.

Explore the 2026 schedule, featuring more than 250 authors and cultural voices across 100+ sessions, an expanded Family Day, book signings, culinary conversations, crossover programming with partners and special programming tied to America’s 250th anniversary. Join us for four days of ideas, storytelling and community at this free festival, taking place March 12-15 on Tulane's uptown campus.

The festival welcomes all attendees on a first-come, first-seated basis. Registration is encouraged but not required for admission. Read more...

The conversation continues with an additional program featuring The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg moderating Gen. Stanley McChrystal and journalist George Packer on the foreign policy challenges shaping the world today. Following the America at 250 keynote, this timely discussion will turn the lens from the nation’s history to its role on the global stage, exploring the forces shaping international leadership, conflict, and diplomacy in the years ahead. More info...

Family Day at the Fest is bigger than ever in 2026—and for the first time, it gets a day all its own! Join us Sunday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tulane’s Uptown campus for a joyful celebration of children’s books and storytelling. The move to Sunday brings exciting additions, including a second stage of programming, expanded activities and crafts, and the debut of Author Alley, a special meet-and-greet space where young readers can interact with their favorite authors. Families can enjoy readings, performances, free books from Scholastic, free food and plenty of hands-on fun—all completely free and open to the public. More info...

Since its founding, the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University has celebrated storytelling in all its forms—on the page, on the stage, and in the vibrant visual culture of our city. Each year, the festival commissions a Louisiana artist to create an original poster that embodies the event’s spirit and the creative pulse of New Orleans. 

During the festival, all five years of commissioned poster art will be exhibited together on the second floor of the Lavin-Bernick Center, offering visitors a visual journey through the festival’s creative evolution. Read more... 

The full schedule of events is available on the festival website. All festival events are free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Please note, as is the nature of live events, some adjustments have been made to the schedule. Check the updates page for a log of major changes to the schedule and author lineup. 

Book sales and signings at the festival will be hosted by our local independent bookstore partners, including Baldwin & Co, Octavia Books, Garden District Books, as well as Barnes & Noble College. While outside books are not prohibited, purchasing on-site supports the festival’s success, our independent bookstore partners and the attending authors. Please note that signing lines are time-limited, and festival staff may limit the number of items per person to ensure as many guests as possible have the opportunity to participate.

Explore the festival with our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Use the app to plan your visit, then easily access helpful insights on-site. In addition to the festival, Bloomberg Connects lets you explore hundreds of museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens, and cultural spaces around the world, all with one free download from the App Store or Google Play.

We highly encourage festival attendees to consider alternate transportation options as parking and traffic around campus will likely be difficult to navigate during the festival. By choosing alternate transportation, you’ll help ease congestion and make the festival experience smoother for everyone.

Park & Ride Festival Shuttles: Convenient shuttles will run throughout the festival from University Square (200 Broadway St.) to Tulane’s uptown campus and drop off near the Malkin Sacks Commons. Shuttles will leave from the shuttle stop at 200 Broadway on the hour and half hour from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Friday, March 13 and 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. Parking for shuttles at University Square is available on a first come, first served basis.

Bike: Bring your bike! Bike racks are available across the university's uptown campus.

Walk or Use Public Transit: The campus is accessible by multiple RTA bus routes and streetcars. Tulane is on the St. Charles Streetcar Line (green cars). RTA bus 57-Franklin-Freret conveniently stops in the middle of Tulane’s uptown campus. Use the RTA Plan My Trip tool or visit the website for more information. 

Taxi or Ride Shares: Consider using Uber, Lyft, or similar services to drop off at 6811 Freret St.

Family Day Shuttles: Shuttles will provide free round-trip rides to Family Day at the Fest on Sunday, March 15 from city wide locations listed below. All shuttles will drop off near Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse on Freret St. Pick-ups from each location are at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Departures from Tulane back to the locations below are at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

For those who must drive, limited parking is available on campus in surface spots and the Diboll Garage:

Parking opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday and is available through the duration of the festival. Please note the Tulane Green Line shuttle picks up at the Reily Center, just steps away from Diboll Garage and drops off in the center of campus. 

ADA parking spaces are located beside the elevators on each floor of the Diboll Garage. A state-issued placard or license plate is required to park in these spaces. The university’s interactive campus map shows ADA spaces (check the Parking box to view). 

For more information about parking and transportation at the fest, click here. 

All festival venues are nestled in the center of Tulane's uptown campus. View the festival map of venue locations and the interactive campus map for a wider view of how to navigate campus. 

Plenty of food options are available in and around Tulane during your time at the fest!

Campus Dining:
Tulane's main university dining areas in the Malkin Sacks Commons and the Lavin-Bernick Center will be open during the festival. A full list of dining options around Tulane’s uptown campus can be found here.

Food Trucks:
Bonafried and Hatch and Harvest will be stationed near ROTC building and Crepes a la Carte and Coop's Burgers will be on the Berger Family Lawn at Newcomb on Friday and Saturday of the festival.

Grab & Go:
The Festival Tent on Friday and Saturday will have multiple grab and go options available from Saba, Francolini's, French Truck, Barracuda and Aramark for breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday of the festival. Tulane Dining will also have additional grab & go options available in Pocket Park.

Coffee:
Free PJ’s Coffee will be available in the Welcome Center in Pedersen Lobby on Friday and Saturday, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., while supplies last. 

Free French Truck Nola Iced Coffee and special edition festival cups will be available in the Festival Tent on Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., while supplies last. Additional coffee and pastries will be available for purchase as well. 

Sign up for emergency text alerts and stay informed about any unexpected developments during the event. 

Text BOOKFESTTU to 888777 to opt-in to emergency notifications about the festival. 

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. 

To be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities, we ask that you please refrain from wearing strong fragrances.

For more information about accessibility at the fest visit the website.  

The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University is funded by our generous supporters, which keeps the festival free and open to the public. Find out more about supporting the festival.