(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Literary Festival has unveiled an exciting, jam-packed lineup of authors for its 10th anniversary, taking place from May 2-11, 2026. Spanning 10 days, the festival will feature more than 60 authors in over 30 events, with the majority free for all attendees.
The festival kicks off in downtown Montclair on Saturday, May 2, beginning with the ever-popular Poetry Cafe, complete with coffee and bagels. Then the day continues with a dynamic range of conversations about getting published, debut fiction, biographies of music icons with Jim Windolf, Daniel Okrent, and Warren Zanes, contemporary and historical fiction with Amy Jo Burns, Emily Nemens, and Valerie Wilson Wesley, as well as past and present female journalists. Featured authors on opening day include Eugene Robinson, John Fugelsang, Colm Tóibín, Tom Perrotta, and Joyce Carol Oates.
“We’re thrilled to launch our 10th anniversary festival with such a spectacular lineup,“ said Festival Chair Marcia Marley. “I am particularly looking forward to hearing Eugene Robinson and John Fugelsang discuss how their family histories reflect and are relevant to the present political landscape. It’s also a pleasure to welcome back Tom Perrotta and Colm Tóibín as they share their latest works of fiction, both current Best Books of 2026. In fact, many of the authors coming to the festival are on Best of and Indie Pick lists.”
Festival programming continues through the week with standout events including Kathryn Stockett, author of the global bestseller The Help, celebrating the launch of her new novel The Calamity Club on May 5; highly acclaimed bestselling author Adriana Trigiani on May 6 for the paperback release of her book The View from Lake Como; and Pitchapalooza on May 7 offering aspiring writers the chance to present their work for possible introduction to a literary agent or publisher.
On Saturday, May 9, all events will take place at Montclair State University, with free parking available at the Red Hawk parking deck for all festival attendees. Ticketed highlights are Maria Semple, bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, returning to form with her new novel, Go Gentle; and Pulitzer Prize-finalist Xochitl Gonzalez discussing her highly anticipated Last Night in Brooklyn.
Additional festival highlights include Francine Prose’s new novel exploring the relationship between Charles Dickens and Hans Christian Andersen; Luke Barr and Sylvie Bigar tantalizing our tastebuds with French cooking and chef anecdotes; and memoirists Siri Hustvedt and Rachel Eliza Griffiths in conversation on love and grief. Not to be missed is the New Yorker writer Anand Gopal’s powerful account of six Syrians who fought tyranny, which The New York Times Book Review called a masterpiece. The program also features discussions on AI, thrillers, debut fiction, poetry, and more.
Also on May 9, Montclair State University will host Express Yourself! – a series of hands-on workshops in writing, visual art, music, dance, photography and theater. All workshops are free and open to the public.
The festival concludes on Monday, May 11 with a special early release event for The Foursome by Montclair’s own Christina Baker Kline in conversation with fellow local author Alice Elliott Dark.
“In this, our 10th year of literary programming, we’re proud to offer festivalgoers the opportunity to explore a wide range of books, ideas, and voices over the upcoming 10 days in May, “ added Marley. “We look forward to creating a vibrant community space for meaningful conversations and the exchange of ideas.”
The festival is supported by Montclair State University, Watchung Booksellers, the Montclair Public Library, alongside a generous network of community supporters whose contributions help keep most events free and accessible.
Tickets, the full event schedule, and additional festival details are available at succeed2gether.org/mlf26. Printed festival guides are available at Watchung Booksellers and venues from today.
The Montclair Literary Festival is a special project of Succeed2gether, a Montclair-based nonprofit that provides free tutoring to underserved children in Montclair and Essex County. Proceeds from the festival directly support this critical initiative, especially vital as students and their families face educational funding challenges throughout New Jersey.
