Let’s bring our community closer together through the shared experience of reading and discussing great books! The inaugural KPBS San Diego Book Festival on the University of San Diego campus is a free event for book lovers of all ages. Attendees will enjoy panel discussions with award-winning authors, activities, live entertainment, exhibitors including local authors and independent booksellers, and more.
KPBS San Diego Book Festival
Presented by
Save the Date!
Saturday, August 22, 2026
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Let’s bring our community closer together through the shared experience of reading and discussing great books! KPBS San Diego Book Festival on the University of San Diego campus is a free event for book lovers of all ages. Attendees will enjoy panel discussions with award-winning authors, activities, live entertainment, exhibitors including local authors and independent booksellers, and more.
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Get Involved!
We want to hear from book clubs in our community! Share what your club is reading.
Sponsors
Many thanks to our 2025 Festival Sponsors and Partners!
Presenting Sponsor
Premier VIP Sponsor
Endorsing Sponsor
Contributing Sponsor
Phyllis Schwartz
Community Partners
Frequently Asked Questions
As your trusted PBS and NPR station, KPBS is all about community. We’ve been sharing stories that inspire and inform for 65 years, providing locally and nationally-produced news, entertainment, educational, and lifestyle programming for all ages, as well as events and resources that help build a strong and vibrant community.
KPBS offers a number of engagement initiatives annually, with one specifically focused on celebrating reading and books.
Our One Book, One San Diego program has focused on bringing our community closer together through the shared experience of reading and discussing great books since 2007. One Book, One San Diego is our region's premier literary program, presented in partnership between KPBS and over 80 public libraries, service organizations, and educational institutions. The One Book program reaches 70,000+ people through engagement efforts and 1 million+ via radio, TV, social media and other media platforms.
Now we’re celebrating our passion for literacy and community, with a festival made for San Diego readers like you. Our newly added KPBS San Diego Book Festival will provide opportunities for locals of all ages to come together around their shared love of books, learning, and literacy.
KPBS offers a number of engagement initiatives annually, with one specifically focused on celebrating reading and books.
Our One Book, One San Diego program has focused on bringing our community closer together through the shared experience of reading and discussing great books since 2007. One Book, One San Diego is our region's premier literary program, presented in partnership between KPBS and over 80 public libraries, service organizations, and educational institutions. The One Book program reaches 70,000+ people through engagement efforts and 1 million+ via radio, TV, social media and other media platforms.
Now we’re celebrating our passion for literacy and community, with a festival made for San Diego readers like you. Our newly added KPBS San Diego Book Festival will provide opportunities for locals of all ages to come together around their shared love of books, learning, and literacy.
The inaugural KPBS San Diego Book Festival was held in 2025. It is a free event for book lovers of all ages. Attendees will enjoy panel discussions with award-winning authors, activities, live entertainment, exhibitors including independent booksellers, and more.
The KPBS San Diego Book Festival will take place on Saturday, August 22, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the University of San Diego campus. The event is rain or shine.
Share your organization with book lovers and storytellers from across our region. The form to explore partnership opportunities for the 2026 Festival will close July 15, 2026.
It takes a village! Help us make the festival a success. The form to volunteer for the 2026 Festival will close June 1, 2026.
Feel free to reach out to us at bookfestival@kpbs.org with questions or concerns.
As an educational institution committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition, USD recognizes the fundamental role of free inquiry, academic freedom and freedom of expression. It is the expectation of the university that guests, guest speakers and members of the university community “engage in those issues and perspectives in a manner consistent with the mission and core values of the university,” per policy. Hosting of events and guest speakers balance the university’s commitment to free expression with the need to protect the safety and security of our community. It must also take into account the time of such activities, venue and manner in which the information is presented. Anyone who impedes the operations of the university or threatens the physical safety of members of the community will not be permitted on campus.
The sponsorship of a guest does not imply that either the university or the sponsoring organization approves or endorses the views expressed by the guest speaker.
By adhering to these guidelines and principles, USD aims to foster an environment that respects free speech while maintaining a clear boundary between personal political activities and university operations.
The sponsorship of a guest does not imply that either the university or the sponsoring organization approves or endorses the views expressed by the guest speaker.
By adhering to these guidelines and principles, USD aims to foster an environment that respects free speech while maintaining a clear boundary between personal political activities and university operations.
The University of San Diego is committed to upholding standards that promote respect and human dignity in an environment that fosters academic excellence and professionalism. It is the policy of the university to maintain an educational and work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment.
To that end, the university prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against or harassment of its employees, students or guests on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, shared ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, age, physical disability, mental disability, or other characteristic protected by federal or state law, unless a particular characteristic is a bona fide requirement of the position. All members and guests of the university community are expected to uphold this policy. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action.
To that end, the university prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against or harassment of its employees, students or guests on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, shared ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, age, physical disability, mental disability, or other characteristic protected by federal or state law, unless a particular characteristic is a bona fide requirement of the position. All members and guests of the university community are expected to uphold this policy. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action.