The Hedberg Public Library is gearing up for its fourth annual Book Fest, scheduled for Saturday, June 21, 2025. This year’s highlight will be keynote speaker Maggie Ginsberg, an acclaimed Wisconsin author whose debut novel, Still True, has received widespread recognition.
Published by the University of Wisconsin Press in September 2022, Still True has garnered numerous accolades, including the 2023 WLA Literary Award for Fiction. The novel also earned honorable mention for the 2022 Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award, was a finalist for the Chicago Writers Association’s 2023 Book of the Year, and won a silver medal at the 2023 Midwest Book Awards in the Literary/Contemporary/Historical Fiction category. Additionally, it was named a finalist for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association’s STAR Award for Outstanding Debut.
Book Fest has a history of featuring celebrated authors, with past keynotes including Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton in 2022, New York Times bestselling humorist Michael Perry in 2023, and USA Today bestselling author Ann Garvin, Ph.D., in 2024.
The event offers a full day of activities at the library, designed to celebrate and support the local literary community. Writers can participate in craft-focused workshops and an author fair, where they can showcase, sign, and sell their books. The festivities will also include an exclusive author reception with Maggie Ginsberg on Friday, June 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
To foster inclusivity and creativity, the Book Fest committee is now accepting workshop proposals and applications for the author fair. Writers from all backgrounds, including those who are traditionally published, self-published, or from underrepresented communities, are encouraged to apply. More details and submission forms are available on the Hedberg Public Library website.
Book Fest 2025 is made possible with support from the Friends of Hedberg Public Library. For updates and additional information, visit the library’s website at //www.hedbergpubliclibrary.org/book-fest.