The Louisiana Book Festival is being held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the State Library of Louisiana and Capitol Park in downtown Baton Rouge. The festival is seeking volunteers who can help make this event a success.
Volunteers are asked to help put on the state's flagship celebration of readers, writers, and their books this fall. Each year, the festival needs hundreds of volunteers in a variety of capacities, including welcoming presenters, escorting authors, assisting with programs, staffing festival information booths, and other tasks. Volunteers must be sixteen (16) years of age or older to register.
"Every fall, thousands of people come together in Baton Rouge to share their love of books, and it's our volunteers who set the tone for that experience," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "Whether you've helped out every year or this is your first time, we'd love to have you join the team that makes the Louisiana Book Festival one of the best literary events in the country. I am always proud of the strong volunteering spirit we have in Louisiana, and as this event continues to grow, our need for volunteers grows."
Volunteers who register by Monday, October 5, will receive a free 2026 Louisiana Book Festival T-shirt, which features this year's artwork by Louisiana artist and writer Malaika Favorite. Festival coordinators are happy to accommodate groups of friends, family, or organizations who wish to volunteer together.
The festival will highlight more than 200 authors and panelists discussing their books and include dozens more attractions, such as the Young Readers Pavilion, with arts and crafts, costumed characters, and authors reading to children; Teen Headquarters, with bestselling and award-winning young adult authors; an abundance of programs for adult readers; and a wide variety of book-related activities and exhibitors.
"Putting on a festival of this scale is a true team effort," said State Librarian Meg Placke. "Our volunteers do everything from guiding authors to their sessions to helping families find their next favorite book. It's a fun, fast-paced day, and we couldn't pull it off without them."
For more information or to volunteer, visit louisianabookfestival.org
