Every great story starts with a beginning, and the Salt Lake Book Festival is ready to turn the page on its very first chapter. 

The Salt Lake Book Festival is holding their first gathering October 16–17, 2026 for a two-day celebration of books, storytelling and Utah’s salty city. The festival kicks off Friday night, October 16th, with The Prologue hosted at the Downtown Public Library, followed by a full day at The Gateway on Saturday, October 17. 

The festival brings together authors, readers, writers, publishers and curious minds for a full day of author conversations, lively panel discussions, live music and more than 50 local vendors. Attendees can expect an analog-focused marketplace alongside Fisher brews, flash tatts, DIY up-cycled screen printing and plenty of ways to engage with something new. 

Featured in Saturday’s festival lineup are two familiar faces from the Marriott Library’s Rare Books Department: Lyuba Basin, Rare Books Librarian, and Thea Soter, Rare Books Curator, who will be the hosts of “Perspectives over Pints: Is It a Book?”. During this bookish-themed game show, participants are invited to join Lyuba and Thea for a lively, audience-driven presentation that blends book history with pop culture. The audience will be asked to identify, judge, classify and ultimately challenge their assumptions about what makes a book a “book.” 

 “Forget everything you knew about books, because we’re about to change your mind,” says Basin.  

“Perspectives over Pints: Is It a Book?” will take place on the Kiln Stage on October 17th, 12:15 – 1:15 pm. While the festival’s market and general festivities are free and accessible to the public, some programming, including Basin and Soter’s presentation, will be ticketed. Tickets for the game show extravaganza can be purchased here.  

Additional information on the festival, programming and featured events can be found by visiting saltlakebookfestival.org.