Boston Book Festival 2026

Copley Square, home of the festival · Photo: Sheri via Google

• When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (opening night Friday, October 16, 7:30 p.m.)
• Where: Copley Square, Copley Square, Boston, MA 02116
• Cost: Festival is free; the opening-night event with Michael Lewis is ticketed
• Organizer: Boston Book Festival

Official Event Page

The Boston Book Festival takes over Copley Square in Back Bay on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is free and open to everyone, and the organizers say this year's festival will bring more than 300 authors, illustrators and exhibitors to the square, between Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library.

Opening night: Michael Lewis

The festival opens the evening before, on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Old South Church on Boylston Street, with Michael Lewis in conversation with Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks about his book Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State. This event is ticketed through Eventbrite, and every ticket includes a signed hardcover of the book, handed out at the event (or collected later from Harvard Book Store if you cannot attend). Wheelchair users can flag their needs with a free add-on when booking.

The festival day

The presenter list is on the festival site, and the organizers say the full schedule of sessions will be released closer to the day and that more authors may be added. The festival is presented in partnership with GBH. With sessions running all day, plan around the published schedule rather than arriving at a single start time.

Good to know

Sponsors and donations keep the festival free; the organizers invite a donation of any amount. October weather in Boston can turn quickly, so bring a layer for time outdoors in the square. The Saturday before, October 10, brings the Boston 10K for Women to Boston Common, and the Head of the Charles Regatta is on the river the same weekend as the festival, October 16-18.

Details checked against the Boston Book Festival site and its opening-night page on September 28, 2026. Dates and times can change; confirm with the organizer before you go.