McAllen Public Library (MPL) announces the 10th Annual South Texas Book Festival (STBF), a milestone event celebrating the rich literary heritage of the Rio Grande Valley while engaging readers of all ages in a diverse array of activities. The festival’s anniversary logo showcases Marty, the endearing mascot cat of MPL, eager to extend a paw of invitation to the entire community for this extraordinary celebration!
The festival will kick off with an event tailored for adults, Stellar Verse: An Evening of Cosmic Poetry, on Thursday, October 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at CommonSpace Coffee Shop, located at 2901 N. 10th St. in McAllen.
The festival’s main day will take place on Saturday, October 28, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Main Library located at 4001 N. 23rd Street. Aside from over 20 author story times and book talks throughout the event, attendees will also get to enjoy free cotton candy and popcorn and participate in activities hosted by community partners. Food trucks will be available, as well as a kiddie train ride that will go around the library mall, The Storybook Garden from Weslaco is the STBF exclusive bookseller and will be selling copies of the featured books, and guests will have an opportunity to meet and greet their favorite authors, where they will be able to also have their books signed by the authors.
The festival continues on Halloween as families are encouraged to come in costume for the annual Trick-or-Treat Trail throughout the library on Tuesday, October 31, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., for a delightful Halloween-themed experience.
“We welcome everyone to join in our 10th anniversary celebration of family engagement at the South Texas Book Festival,” said Kate Horan, MPL Director. “Get ready for a day brimming with authors, captivating readings, book signings, creative crafts, delectable food, and non-stop fun! As always, this event is free to the public.”
This year’s STBF theme is “A Stellar Lineup of Events” and kicked-off with some special activities during the solar eclipse.
Recognized internationally by a leading events organization, the South Texas Book Festival's innovation and inspiration earned McAllen Public Library an impressive 20 awards from the International Festivals and Events Association in 2022 and 2023, including the prestigious Grand Pinnacle Award each year. The event originally started as the McAllen Book Festival but was rebranded to South Texas Book Festival in 2018. It is the largest bilingual book festival in the region and has events for all ages. Each year, the event brings in approximately 7,000 attendees to the festival.
This event is possible thanks to many generous sponsors, including H-E-B Helping Here; the McAllen Public Library Advisory Board, and all of its sponsors, including Bestseller Sponsors Strategic Insights/Ameriprise Financial and McAllen Orthodontic Group. Through HEB's Read 3 Program and the South Texas Literacy Coalition, every child and teen attending the festival will take home a free book. This continued support ensures the festival's continued growth and impact within the community.
