HARRISBURG, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from Oct. 19, 2022.
Bookworms may be tempted to put down their novels for a few days in October.
The Harrisburg Book Festival will return for its 12th year from Oct. 9 - 13 at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore. Organizers say the event celebrates the power of literature and its ability to unite, delight and inspire.
Midtown Scholar is one of the nation's leading independent bookstores, organizers said. Hosting the festival at a renowned bookstore in Pennsylvania's capital city emphasizes the Commonwealth's commitment to a culture of reading and inclusivity.
There will be plenty for patrons to check out over the five-day festival, from an outdoor tent sale, award-winning authors, programming for children and more. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Children's Day will be hosted on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Family-friendly programming will include author signings, story times, face painting, a scavenger hunt and more. Kids will also have a chance to meet Rascal the Mascot.
One of the main attractions of the festival is the Outdoor Tent Sale, which takes place on Verbeke Street from 3rd Street to Susquehanna Street. The Tent Sale is open each day of the festival from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Organizers say patrons will find over 30,000 used books of all genres at bargain prices—$1, $2 and $3.
This year's festival features a star-studded lineup of authors known around the world. A full schedule of when each writer will appear is available here. The guests include:
- Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David W. Blight
- Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eliza Griswold
- New York Times bestselling author James McBride
- New York Times bestselling author Edwidge Danticat
- New York Times bestselling fantasy author Olivie Blake
- New York Times bestselling fantasy author Hannah Nicole Maehrer
- Renowned horror authors Chuck Wendig, Richard Chizmar, Catriona Ward, & CJ Leede
- Art Historian Sarah Lewis
- Caldecott Honor Award-Winning Illustrator Hanna Cha
- Coretta Scott King Award-Winning illustrator Bryan Collier
- New York Times bestselling author Evan Friss
- New York Times bestselling author and magazine editor Adam Moss
Midtown Scholar is located at 1302 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg. Organizers say free two-hour parking is available around the neighboring Broad Street Market. Limited free parking is also available in the lot behind Midtown Scholar. Metered street parking is available on 3rd and Verbeke Streets from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Monday - Saturday. Some nearby unmetered streets have residential-only parking from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Harrisburg Book Festival organizers will join FOX43 Morning News on Oct. 3 for a live interview to share more details of the event.