The 25th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival
will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, September 6, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.). The event is free and open to the public. A selection of programs will be livestreamed online and videos of all programs will be available shortly after the Festival. Attendees may expect enhanced safety and security measures when entering the Convention Center.
Getting Here
The National Book Festival is held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, located at 801 Allen Y. Lew Place NW, Washington, D.C. The center is conveniently located near the Mount Vernon Square Metro station on the Yellow and Green lines. For additional information and route planning, visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority website at www.wmata.com.
Parking: Multiple parking garages are located around the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with hourly and daily rates. For more information, visit the Walter E. Washington Convention Center site.
Plan Your Day
Save the date – Saturday, September 6, 2025 – in your calendar now! Subscribe to the “Bookmarked” blog for the latest updates and stay tuned for the announcement of the author lineup later this summer. The online and PDF versions of the Festival schedule will become available approximately one month prior to the Festival. Note that any last-minute schedule adjustments will only be updated on the website and will not be reflected in the Festival program PDF.
There are a variety of dining options available within and around the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit their website. Please note: each person may bring a water bottle and food, such as lunch or small snacks, for personal consumption only.
If you aren’t able to attend in person, a selection of programs will be livestreamed online and videos of all programs will be available shortly after the Festival.
Book Sales and Festival Merchandise
Politics and Prose is the official bookseller for the 2025 National Book Festival and will be selling books at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Visit the Library of Congress Store at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center or online to purchase National Book Festival t-shirts and other items.
Explore the History of the Festival
Since the first National Book Festival on Sept. 8, 2001, the Festival has become one of the most prominent literary events in the United States.
