*Los Angeles, CA – The outdoor festival season has sprouted throughout the region. You don’t have to look too far to see proof of the season in full bloom.
It was a beautiful weekend in the “City of Angels.” Thousands assembled on the campus of USC for a free event that celebrated the written word, spoken word, and words that were vocalized.
The annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, affectionally known as “Bookchella” for the uninitiated, made a triumphant return to the University of Southern California on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, 2026
The Festival of Books, aka Bookchella, is the largest book festival and cultural event in the country. Organizers were expecting upwards of 155,000 people to attend the festival. The festival was scheduled for 10:00am-6:00pm on Saturday and 10:00am-5:00pm on Sunday.
The festival featured panel discussions, on-stage conversations, cooking demos, and signings involving a variety of literary stars, USC academics and authors, and an eclectic array of celebrities with newly released books.
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It was both encouraging and heartwarming to see families with young children as well as groups of school-age kids in attendance. I’m optimistically hopeful that the young people in attendance will grow up to be readers, authors, and, most surely, future TROJANS! I’m just saying…FIGHT ON!
The festival got underway with a rousing and thunderous entrance by the USC Marching Band. This performance was followed by opening remarks by Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, Executive Editor, and USC President Beong-Soo Kim.
WriteGirl Alum and California Youth Poet Laureate Summer Hamzeh recited an original and powerful poem to add to the festivities. The book festival was officially ready to go.
Please forgive me in advance for sharing this information after the fact. You can view what you missed on all social media (videos, photos, and conversations). This can also serve as a subtle reminder that it’s not considered too early to start making plans to attend the 2027 Festival of Books, aka “Bookchella.”
Ricky Richardson is a Southern California based writer, music reviewer and photographer. contact him via: [email protected].
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