The festival will feature panel discussions with award-winning writers and showcase works from more than 70 notable authors and independent booksellers. (Photo courtesy of the University of San Diego)
The San Diego Book Festival is turning the page to a new chapter – and it’s heading back to the University of San Diego (USD) campus next month.
Now sponsored by KPBS, the festival will feature panel discussions with award-winning writers and showcase works from more than 70 notable authors and independent booksellers.
Headlining the event are authors Ziggy Marley (Pajammin’), Larry Charles (Comedy Samurai), and Stacey Abrams (Coded Justice).
Additionally, attendees can look forward to live performances by poets and local musicians on the main stage throughout the day.
“So many people wanted this, we totally heard that from the community,” said KPBS Community Engagement Coordinator Cristina Rodriguez. “We’re super super happy to keep the spirit of the book festival going on here in San Diego.”
The San Diego Union-Tribune ended its sponsorship of the event in 2024, leaving the future of the festival uncertain, according to USD Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Noelle Norton.
She said that KPBS later reached out to work with the festival instead, and together, they organized the “One Book, One San Diego” program at USD last year.
On Saturday, the Book Festival will be back on campus, featuring favorites like the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section and panels with USD’s academic authors.
Families can also enjoy a community children’s area, where young readers can meet beloved KPBS characters such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George and The Cat in the Hat.
The space also will welcome acclaimed children’s author Maria Dolores Aguila, known for her book Barrio Rising: The Protest that Built Chicano Park.
Born and raised in San Diego, Aguila spent much of her childhood burning through “every single book” she could find at the National City Public Library.
Though she always adored reading, her interest in becoming an author began after picking up The House on Mango Street by Chicana author Sandra Cisneros.
For the first time in her life, she said she saw herself represented in a story, and it was a “transformative experience.”
“I write so kids that are like me can see themselves in a book, and feel like their stories are important,” Aguila said.
Now as an author, she hopes to inspire others in the same way — doing so through her children’s book, which tells and illustrates the history of Chicano Park in Barrio Logan.
Back in 1970, residents of Barrio Logan grew frustrated due to construction on Interstate 5, which had torn the neighborhood in half and displaced lifelong residents.
One April day when bulldozers arrived to clear the way for a planned California Highway Patrol parking lot, the community came together to protect the space — a stand that ultimately transformed it into Chicano Park, now a cultural landmark.
Aguila said that after learning about this history later in life, she wished she had known it growing up, as it would have given her “great pride” in her community.
Next month, she’ll be at the festival to share that story through her book with some of the more than 70,000 attendees expected at the event.
“The festival’s like a gift to the San Diego community because it makes literature feel close,” Aguila said. “It’s something that belongs to all of us, not something that we’re forced to learn about, but something that brings a community together.
“I really feel like stories are what change the world.”
Norton said USD is “delighted” to once again host the event with KPBS and is excited about the strong turnout expected this year.
She added that she hopes events like this will continue to bring the community together and encourage people to engage with the free reading programs and resources the university has to offer.
“We truly believe that reading, literacy and education are the most important things for us to share with the community,” Norton said. “We care about it more than anything.”
Attendees can register for free either online in advance or on-site the day of the event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.