Expanding its offerings every year, the Detroit Festival of Books is participating with the Detroit Institute of Arts and Birdie’s Bookmobile for the 2025 event.
Now the eighth-annual Bookfest will be held on Sunday, July 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Eastern Market in Detroit.
The DIA is offering a Drop-In Workshop, where both adults and children can participate in projects focused on creative work from different cultures, various techniques, and concepts of identity — all designed to be completed within 15 minutes to an hour.
All materials are included, and participants are encouraged to take their art home with them.
“We are so excited to join the Festival of Books community this year for some art making,” says Kristian Varano, community arts coordinator at the DIA. “We will be creating collaged bookmarks, perfect for book lovers of all ages.”
Attendance is free, as is participation in the DIA’s Drop-In Workshop. Bookfest encourages attendees to donate new and gently used books for Detroit children at one of several bright-color bins that will be located throughout the festival.
“We are delighted that the Detroit Institute of Arts will join us at this year’s Bookfest,” says Ryan M. Place, founder and chairman of the Detroit Festival of Books. “The DIA’s presence means more great programming for both kids and adults, and more Detroiters coming together to celebrate literacy, arts, and culture.”
The Detroit Festival of Books also announced a partnership with Birdie’s Bookmobile, a Detroit nonprofit that puts books in the hands of young readers. The Eastern Market-based organization, now in its eight year, has set a goal of collecting 2,000 children’s books at the July 20 festival.
Additionally, this year’s event will feature a “Storyteller Area,” where a team of volunteers will take turns reading a steady supply of books to kids during the entirety of this year’s festival.
“Bookfest expands its offerings every year,” says Place. “Here are even more reasons kids and their parents can get excited about Bookfest.”
Bookfest and Birdie’s Bookmobile request that attendees in possession of new and gently used children’s books place them into one of several bright-color collection bins set at multiple locations through the festival.
“Last year, we collected 1,148 books, with minimal publicity,” says Alyce Hartman, founder of Birdie’s Bookmobile. “This year, we are actively promoting book donations at Bookfest and hope that Detroiters with the resources be generous with their donations. Every single donated book will end up in the hands of a young Detroit reader.”
For more information, visit detroitbookfest.com.
