With the theme “Changing the Narrative,” the 11th Bay Area Book Festival comes to downtown Berkeley on May 31 and June 1, with something for everyone.
Under the leadership of executive director J.K. Fowler, who was appointed in 2024, the festival once again is huge, with nearly 300 speakers, more than 80 panels and interactive events at multiple locations, both indoors and out.
Festival organizers have some recommendations, including a couple of headlining events.
At 7:30 p.m. on May 31 at the Freight and Salvage, “Writing as an Other” features Pulitzer Prize-winner Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of “The Sympathizer” and the new “To Save and To Destroy,” a collection based on Harvard lectures in which he addressed the question: “What’s the relationship between the role of the outsider and literary writing?” He’ll explore that on a panel with Greg Sarris of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and most recently author of the short story collection “The Forgetters,” among many volumes about contemporary Native American life; and novelist-filmmaker Tara Dorabji, whose award-winning debut “Call Her Freedom” is a decades-spanning love story set in a Himalayan village in which a woman struggles to protect her culture and family amid a military occupation.
And at 5:30 p.m. May 31, “The Embodiment of Care” features futurist-researcher Mia Birdsong, author of “How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community,” and therapist Prentis Hemphill, author of “What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World” sharing wisdom on how to face the complexities of today’s world with joy and authenticity.
Other headliners, at 5:30 p.m. on June 1, are gender studies scholar Judith Butler, author of “Who’s Afraid of Gender?” in conversation with micha cárdenas, whose science-fiction novel “Atoms Never Touch” takes on themes of neurodivergence and trans identity. At 7:30 p.m. June 1, “Portable Intersectionality” features feminist scholar and New York Times columnist Roxane Gay in conversation with activist Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter.
While tickets to headliner sessions are $22, most BABF activities are free. On May 31, writing workshops between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. are happening at The Marsh. Among the topics are “The Power of Voice: Writing for Social Change & Personal Truth” with MK Chavez and “A Compass in the Wilderness: Poetry in the Age of Environmental Crisis” with Dan Alter and Cintia Santana. RSVPs are required.
Also, the Berkeley Public Library is the site of Family Day from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 31. More than two dozen free activities are in the lineup, from “Storytime for Littles” for babies and toddlers, to “Finding Your Place in Middle Grade” to “The End of the (Fantastical) World: Complicated Relationships in Dystopia” to the more light-hearted “Play With Your Food.”
June 1 hosts more than two dozen free Inside Panel discussions between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at four locales. To name just four:
“Native Voices: Youth Writers from the 2025 Graton Writing Project” at 11:15 a.m. at the Brower Center, moderated by Sarris, is among several programs dedicated to Native American culture and history.
“Fiction Debuts Navigating Historical Memory” at 11:15 a.m. at Hotel Shattuck Plaza features insightful novelists Rickey Fayne, Sam Sax, Betty Shamieh and Sasha Vasilyuk.
“Bridging the Gaps: Redefining Healthcare Through a Justice Lens” at 1:15 p.m. at the Marsh offers commentary by doctors and health experts Yamonte Cooper, Carlos Martinez and Nicholas Rosenlicht.
At 3:30 p.m. at the Freight & Salvage, “Decolonizing Wealth: Confronting Systemic Barriers, Creating Lasting Change” features Bernadette Atuahene, Emily Flitter and Edgar Villanueva in a session tackling the growing problem of income inequality in the U.S., particularly for Black people.
The fest’s outdoor fair, dubbed the Bookworm Block Party, also is June 1, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on and around Allston Way.
The BART Plaza Stage offers music and community workshops; the Poetry Stage presents readings by more than 25 poets; the Family Stage serves up family-focused author presentations, demonstrations and performances; Health in Community Row, sponsored by the Black Arts Movement District Community Development Corporation, offers direct and indirect health services; and Small Press Alley is the new spot where small, independent presses are selling their wares.
For the schedule, map and details, visit baybookfest.org.
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