The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books returned to the University of Southern California campus this weekend, drawing tens of thousands of readers, authors, and literary enthusiasts to one of the nation’s largest annual celebrations of the written word. Held across USC’s University Park campus, the two-day event featured hundreds of booths, author signings, panel discussions, and live performances, transforming the academic quad into a vibrant hub of storytelling and cultural exchange. Organizers confirmed that attendance surpassed 150,000 over the weekend, marking one of the highest turnouts in the festival’s 29-year history.
As Editor of Entertainment for World Today Journal, I was on-site to witness the energy firsthand — from families sprawled on picnic blankets with new picture books to longtime fans queuing for hours to meet Pulitzer Prize-winning novelists and Grammy-nominated musicians. The festival’s blend of accessibility and star power continues to distinguish it: while major celebrities like Viola Davis, George Saunders, and Billie Eilish drew crowds, the heart of the event remained in the quiet conversations between emerging writers and curious readers under the California sun.
This year’s festival placed a renewed emphasis on youth literacy and bilingual storytelling, reflecting both the demographic richness of Los Angeles and the festival’s mission to make literature inclusive. Over 120 events were specifically tailored for children and teens, including interactive workshops with illustrators from Sesame Street and bilingual storytimes in Spanish and English. According to the Los Angeles Times, which produces the festival in partnership with USC, more than 40% of attendees identified as Latino or Hispanic — a demographic the organizers have actively sought to engage through targeted outreach and programming.
The festival’s scale requires immense logistical coordination. More than 1,500 volunteers supported the event, managing everything from crowd flow to author hospitality, while over 350 exhibitors — ranging from independent presses to major publishing houses like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins — filled the campus walkways. USC’s role as host extends beyond providing space; the university’s libraries and academic departments contributed curated exhibits, including a special display on the legacy of Octavia Butler, the acclaimed science fiction writer who taught at USC for over a decade.
Celebrity Appearances Draw National Attention
While the festival’s literary roots remain central, celebrity guests continue to amplify its reach. This year’s headliners included Academy Award winner Viola Davis, who discussed her memoir Finding Me in a packed Bovard Auditorium session that sold out within minutes of ticket release. Davis spoke candidly about her journey from poverty in Rhode Island to Hollywood stardom, emphasizing how libraries and books served as her refuge during childhood. “I didn’t have much growing up,” she told the audience, “but I always had a book. And that book gave me a world beyond my circumstances.”
Musician and activist Billie Eilish made a surprise appearance on Saturday afternoon, joining her brother Finneas for an unannounced acoustic set near the Tommy Trojan statue before participating in a conversation about creativity and mental health. Eilish, who has openly discussed her struggles with anxiety and depression, encouraged young attendees to use writing as a form of self-expression. “Some of my best songs started as poems I was too scared to present anyone,” she said. “Writing saved me. It can save you too.”
Other notable participants included Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist George Saunders, who delivered a keynote on empathy in fiction; poet Ada Limón, the current U.S. Poet Laureate, who led a workshop on nature-inspired verse; and actor Riz Ahmed, who presented excerpts from his debut novel The Goodbye Effect and discussed the importance of Muslim representation in storytelling. All events were free and open to the public, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Community Impact and Educational Outreach
Beyond the celebrity draw, the festival’s deeper impact lies in its year-round educational initiatives. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books partners with local schools and nonprofits to distribute thousands of free books to underserved communities each year. In 2023, the festival’s “Readers in the Neighborhood” program delivered over 80,000 books to students in Title I schools across LAUSD, a figure organizers expect to match or exceed this year based on preliminary distribution reports.
USC’s involvement extends beyond hosting; the university’s Rossier School of Education and Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism co-sponsor panels on media literacy and the future of publishing. This year, a new initiative launched in collaboration with the USC Libraries aimed to document attendee stories through oral history recordings, creating an archive of personal reflections on why reading matters. Early participants included a 72-year-old retired teacher who credited a library book with inspiring her to pursue higher education, and a 16-year-old aspiring poet who said attending the festival last year gave her the courage to submit her work to a literary journal.
Environmental sustainability also played a visible role in this year’s planning. Vendors were encouraged to use compostable materials, and water refill stations were placed throughout the campus to reduce plastic waste. The festival partnered with LA Compost to collect food scraps and biodegradable waste, diverting an estimated 2.3 tons of material from landfills during the event — a figure verified by the city’s Bureau of Sanitation in its post-event sustainability report.
Looking Ahead: The Future of the Festival
As the festival concludes another successful year, organizers are already evaluating feedback to shape future iterations. According to a statement released by the Los Angeles Times on Monday, preliminary surveys indicate that over 90% of attendees rated their experience as “excellent” or “remarkably good,” with particular praise for the diversity of programming and ease of access. The most common suggestion for improvement? More shade and seating areas — a challenge given the expansive outdoor layout and Southern California sun.
There are no plans to move the festival from its longtime USC home, despite occasional speculation about alternative venues. Both the Los Angeles Times and USC have renewed their partnership through 2027, citing the synergy between the university’s academic mission and the festival’s public service goals. “USC isn’t just a venue — it’s a collaborator,” said Tina Susman, Editor of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. “Their faculty, students, and staff assist us think deeper about what a literary festival can be in the 21st century.”
The next major checkpoint for the festival is the release of its official 2024 impact report, expected in late summer 2024, which will include final attendance numbers, demographic breakdowns, and details on book distribution outcomes. Until then, the echoes of this weekend’s conversations — between readers and writers, strangers and neighbors — continue to ripple through Los Angeles’ literary landscape.
If you attended this year’s Festival of Books, we’d love to hear from you. Share your favorite moment, a book discovery, or a conversation that stayed with you in the comments below. And if you haven’t yet experienced it, mark your calendar: the festival returns to USC every April — a reminder that, in a city often defined by screens and spectacle, the power of a good story still draws crowds.