The Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival returns to downtown Toledo on Saturday, April 25, 2026, bringing together bestselling authors, illustrators, educators and hundreds of young readers for a free, all-day celebration of books and creativity designed especially for middle- and high-school students.
Now a well-established annual event, the Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival was created to encourage teens to read for pleasure by connecting them directly with authors and stories that resonate. The festival is completely volunteer-run and focused on making literature approachable, inclusive and fun.
This year’s event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Toledo School for the Arts, located at 333 14th Street. Admission is free, and free parking is available, making it easy for families and school groups from across Northwest Ohio to attend.
Bestselling YA authors headline the 2026 Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival
One of the highlights of the day is the keynote address by Susan Dennard, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author known for her popular Witchlands fantasy series. Dennard’s engaging talks about storytelling, creativity and perseverance are especially popular with teens who love fantasy or dream of writing their own stories one day…