Book festivals and fairs are held year round all over the world. As a book marketing specialist, I am the first to impress on authors the new and powerful marketing avenues open to all authors on the Internet – from websites and book trailers to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. While these are excellent tools when used properly, authors should never overlook opportunities to meet the reading public face-to-face.
If you are a Jewish author or specialize in writing about Jewish issues, you should consider visiting some of these Jewish book fairs and festivals.
Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival will occur on February 6-10 2022 in Vancouver, BC. There will be author talks and Q&As. This event usually attracts over 5,000 people of all ages. For more details, call 604-257-5156 or email jbf@jccgv.bc.ca. You can also click here.
London International Literacy Festival’s Jewish Book Week will occur February 26-March 6, 2022 in London. It will feature Jewish writers and themes and a number of interesting discussions. Click here for more details.
Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival will be held from November 9, 2021 to March 17, 2022 in-person in Naples and on Zoom. It will include a wide array of genres and author presentations. For further details, call (239) 263-4205, email info@jewishnaples.org or click here.
Mandel JCC in Beachwood, Ohio will be celebrating the 13th Annual Festival of Jewish Books & Authors from November 4, 2021-March 20, 2022. Stay tuned for details and a full listing of authors, which will be announced this month! For information please contact (216) 831-0700. Please check here for announcements.
Jewish Book Council’s Jewish Book Month will be held 30 days prior to Hanukkah. This is an annual event on the American Jewish calendar dedicated to the celebration of Jewish books. The Jewish Book Council has has about 120 member organizations across North America, including JCCs, synagogues, Hillels, Jewish Federations, and cultural centers.
Its network organizes over 1,300 virtual and in-person programs for its member sites. These include special programs for children and families, cooking demos and discussions about food and Jewish identity with cookbook authors, Yom HaShoah programs with authors of recent Holocaust memoirs, fiction, and history, and events with LGBTQ+ activist authors. There are also intimate book clubs and salon experiences, mindfulness workshops, and so much more.
I think the Jewish Book Council is a terrific resource for Jewish authors. The services offered are extremely valuable.and worth every penny. This is “MUST DO” for Jewish authors. Click here to review the guidelines for participating.
JCC Dallas will host the Dallas Jewish Bookfest on August 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022 . For more information, please email ebilgin@jccdallas.org or click here.
Gordon JCC’s Nashville Jewish Book Series will take place until May 2022 in Nashville, TN. It features books that revolve around Jewish themes and topics plus books that are written from a Jewish point of view. Click here for further information.
Marcus JCC Atlanta’s 21st Edition of the Book Festival of the MJCCA will be held November 2022. For 20 successful years, the Book Festival of the MJCCA has provided our community with a literary extravaganza featuring an exciting lineup of the year’s most exceptional authors, speakers, and celebrities. Please join thousands of your fellow book lovers to listen, meet, and interact with your favorite authors in a variety of forums, including author meet-and-greets, book signings, a community read, and panel discussions. Click here for more details.
JCC of Metro Detroit’s 70th Annual Jewish Book Fair will be held November 6 – 14 2022. At this event, fabulous authors from all over the world will present their books. For further information, email bookfair@jccdet.org or visit jccdet.org.
St. Louis JCC’s 43rd Annual St. Louis Jewish Book Festival in St. Louis will be November 7-18 2022. All author events take place at the Staenberg Family Complex unless otherwise noted. For more information, please visit their website.
Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor is hosting an event November 21 – December 16, 2022. Contact the Welcome Desk at (734)971-0990 for more information. You can also click here.
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater & the Simon Family JCC’s Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival will take place throughout 2021 and 2022 in Virginia Beach. For further details, contact Jill Grossman at 757-965-6137 or JGrossman@ujft.org. You can also click here.
Book fairs typically seek out guest speakers. By volunteering to speak at a Jewish book fair, you will pique the interest of new readers, promote your book, and potentially gain a few new fans. Additionally, you can add the speaking appearance to your resume. Be sure to plan ahead because book fairs, speaking engagements and readings are all planned months in advance. For a complete list of book fairs and festivals visit book-marketing-expert.com
Reach out to the Jewish community and attend a book fair! You will be happy you did.