If there’s one thing that can truly put a cherry on top of this finally-fall weather in Houston, it's bringing tons of books out to experience it, too. The annual Texas Book Festival will take place outside the Texas Capitol in Austin on November 8 and 9 — and it's worth taking a road trip to bring home a tote filled with fall reads.

Now in its 30th year, this beloved happening brings together hundreds of authors, chefs, poets, and curious readers for two lively days of panels, cooking demos, book signings, and spontaneous Capitol-lawn conversations that somehow feel both literary and laid-back. Most of them are free to attend.

From star-studded, ticketed talks with names like Chelsea Handler and Matthew McConaughey to hidden-gem bilingual sessions and the ever-raucous Lit Crawl, here’s your guide to the can’t-miss moments at this year’s festival.

Texas Bluebonnet Award Announcement
November 8, 10 am
Kicking off the festival are some very important announcements. These aren't your boring middle school intercom sort of announcements; these are about the 2026-2027 Texas Bluebonnet Award recipients. The Texas Bluebonnet winners are a big deal because they're chosen by more than 75,000 third through sixth graders across the state each year. This will be the first big official announcement this year, taking place at the Next Chapter Tent.

R.L. Stine in Conversation about The Last Sleepover
November 8, 10:45-11:30 am
In a departure from his normal spooky nighttime setting, legendary YA horror writer R.L. Stine will be starting things out bright and early Saturday morning at First Baptist Church. For millennials who grew up with Goosebumps and kids who love his newer work, this is a can't miss moment. Stine will be discussing the latest book in his House of Shivers series, The Last Sleepover, and will speak more generally about telling scary stories, crafting suspense, and all things scary in writing.

Make It Plant-Based!: Cooking Demo with Mehreen Karim
November 8, 3:30-4:15pm
Cooking demos have become almost as much of a part of the Texas Book Festival as they are a part of the Austin Food and Wine Festival, happening the same weekend down the road at Auditorium Shores. This particular cooking demo, at the Central Market Cooking Tent, looks fun because chef and author Mehreen Karim offers a plant-based approach to Southern favorites like biscuits, casseroles, soups, stews, and other hearty fall foods. A book signing will follow at the Main Book Signing Tent at 4:30 pm.

Chelsea Handler, I’ll Have What She’s Having (Ticketed Session)
November 8, 1pm
Nearly everything at the Texas Book Festival is free, but in the past few years the festival has added "ticketed sessions," which grant folks access to more famous authors' sessions, plus a signed copy of their latest book. One of the many sessions this year is with none other than comedian Chelsea Handler, who is promoting her new book, I'll Have What She's Having. All of the ticketed sessions should offer something interesting, but Handler is an entertainer through and through. This session at First Baptist Church is bound to be hilarious and honest, and it will probably sell out. Attendees hoping to purchase tickets should do so soon. ($44)

2025 Lit Crawl Austin
November 8, 7-10:30 pm
The Lit Crawl is an annual tradition at the Book Festival where the book nerds take over downtown at night. It's a fun way to experience the fest after hours at bars like Speakeasy and Cheer up Charlies. There will be live readings, games, trivia, storytelling, and more events embracing the literary-meets-nightlife energy. The Lit Crawl schedule can be found here.

Spanish and Bilingual Events
Throughout the weekend
At the Leamos Tent, festival goers can experience a wide variety of Spanish and bilingual events, from children's book story times to discussions about Chicana identity and culture in Texas. These events are scattered throughout the weekend, so check the 2025 Spanish and Bilingual Program for a full schedule, or just swing by the Leamos Tent anytime during the festival.

Salsa Daddy: Cooking Demo with Rick Martínez
November 9, 11:30 am to12:15 pm
Festival-goers are invited to join James Beard Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Rick Martínez for a cooking demo and discussion in the Central Market Cooking Tent. The discussion will focus on his new book, Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking, featuring more than 70 unique salsa recipes. It will probably quickly veer into silliness and stories, as this native Austinite has a big personality.

Profit vs. Planet: Billionaires, Industry, and the Future We Inherit
November 9, 1:15-2 pm
Attendees can swing by the CSPAN-2 Tent for a fascinating discussion on how corporate power is reshaping our world — including things like contaminating drinking water and claiming land on the moon — featuring veteran journalists Christian Davenport and Mariah Blake. An event description from the festival website says, "With expert reporting and vivid storytelling, Davenport and Blake examine the high stakes of unchecked industry and challenge us to ask who benefits and who pays. Can we reclaim the future before it's too late?"

Ibram X. Kendi, Malcom Lives (Free with RSVP)
November 9, 2 pm
Participants can join author, educator, and winner of the National Book Award, Ibram X. Kendi, for a discussion on his new book, Malcom Lives! This unique book is an official biography of Malcom X for young readers. This event at the Paramount's State Theater is free with RSVP, and spots are limited.

Matthew McConaughey, Poems and Prayers (Ticketed Session)
November 9, 4:15 pm
It wouldn't really be an Texas event without the Minister of Culture making an appearance, would it? McConaughey was last at the book festival in 2022, promoting his book Green Lights. Now this apparently prolific writer will be discussing his latest book, Poems and Prayers, on Sunday at First Baptist Church. This event was marked "sold out," but new tickets appear to be available on Eventbrite. If those run out, there's still hope to see McConaughey discuss the new book: he's also set to appear at the University of Texas' Bass Concert Hall in September.

Since there are hundreds of things to choose from at this festival, and we can't even begin to list out all of our favorites in detail (ahem, YA Royalty: A Celebration of Beloved Young Adult Fantasy Novels), here are a few more highlights that Texas Book Festival organizers put together in an earlier press release:

• Peter Brown, The Wild Robot on the Island
• Katherine Center, The Love Haters
• Ali Hazelwood, Mate
• Skip Hollandsworth, She Kills: The Murderous Socialite, the Cross-Dressing Bank Robber, and Other True Crime Tales
• Stephen Graham Jones, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
• Stephen Harrigan, An Anchor in the Sea of Time: Essays; Sorrowful Mysteries: The Shepherd Children of Fatima and the Fate of the Twentieth Century
• Kiese Laymon, City Summer, Country Summer
• Ada Limón, Startlement: New and Selected Poems
• Rick Martínez, Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking
• Meg Medina, Graciela in the Abyss
• Nnedi Okorafor, Death of the Author
• Imani Perry, Black in Blues
• Jason Reynolds, Coach
• Maggie Stiefvater, The Listeners; The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel
• R.L. Stine, The Last Sleepover
• Angie Thomas, Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi
• Martha Wells, Queen Demon