Miami Dade College’s 42nd Miami Book Fair, the nation’s longest-running literary festival, begins Sunday and runs through next Sunday, Nov. 23, with more than 500 authors from around the world and thousands of book lovers in attendance.
The popular Miam Book Fair in downtown Miami includes talks with authors, live music, and programs that "celebrate storytelling in all its forms," say organizers.
The Miami Book Fair takes place on the Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus, 300 N.E. Second Ave., Miami, FL, 33132.
Find the latest schedule and other info at the Miami Book Fair website here.
Sunday afternoon and evening events will feature country music star Kenny Chesney, bestselling novelist Daniel Silva, environmentalist Bill McKibben, Israeli journalist and author Lihi Lapid, and renowned Cuban poet, novelist, and playwright Legna Rodríguez Iglesias.
The first day also includes a free "Jump ’N Funk Afrobeat Block Party," led by DJs Rich Medina and Kenny Dope with visuals by Mark Hines/The Marksmen, turning MDC’s Wolfson Campus into an open-air festival of books and music.
Here is a roundup of opening day events on Sunday:
An Evening With Lihi Lapid in conversation with Rochelle B. Weinstein
Sunday, Nov. 16, at 3:30 p.m. | MDC Wolfson Campus (300 NE Second Ave.) | Free
Journalist Lihi Lapid discusses I Wanted to Be Wonderful: A Novel, a tale that follows the lives of two women in their first years of marriage and motherhood. One is a fictional character trying to live the happily-ever-after many imagine for themselves; the second is inspired by the author herself, relating the most intimate moments of her life.
An Evening With Bill McKibben
Sunday, Nov. 16, 4:30 p.m. | MDC Wolfson Campus | Tickets $35 (includes book & access to Street Fair)
Acclaimed environmentalist and bestselling author Bill McKibben discusses his latest book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, as he traces the arrival of plentiful, inexpensive solar energy and shows how it’s more than just a path out of the climate crisis: it’s a chance to reorder the world on saner and more humane grounds.
Opening Day Block Party
Sunday, Nov. 16, 5-9 p.m. | MDC Wolfson Campus – Plaza | Free
Jump ’N Funk, “America’s Original Afrobeat Party,” marks opening day of the Fair with an unforgettable night of music, visuals, and community. Traveling the globe to raise awareness about the “King of Afrobeat,” Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Jump ’N Funk founder Rich Medina will team up with four-time Grammy nominee Kenny Dope (Masters at Work, Kay-Dee Records) alongside immersive visuals by Mark Hines/The Marksmen to deliver an off-the-chain celebration.
An Evening With Daniel Silva in Conversation With Jamie Gangel
Sunday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m. | MDC Wolfson Campus | Tickets $35 (includes book & access to Street Fair)
Daniel Silva returns with the latest installment of his Gabriel Allon series, the instant New York Times No. 1 bestseller An Inside Job: A Novel, a dazzling thriller of murder, greed, and corruption. The action moves at breakneck speed from the galleries and auction houses of London to an enclave of unimaginable wealth on the French Riviera and a shocking climax in St. Peter's Square.
An Evening With Kenny Chesney in Conversation With Co-author Holly Gleason
Sunday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. | MDC Wolfson Campus | Tickets $35 (includes book & access to Street Fair)
Country music superstar Kenny Chesney, who has sold more than 30 million albums and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, discusses his highly anticipated first book, Heart • Life • Music. In sharing the trajectory of a kid from small-town East Tennessee with a dream fueled by sports and music, the book explores Chesney’s quest to find himself as an artist and a man. These are the stories of an unlikely game-changer who became the sound of coming-of-age in the 21st century, rocked stadiums, and founded the No Shoes Nation.
Tickets & Access
Tickets for Miami Book Fair 2025 are available at MiamiBookFair.com/tickets.
Street Fair admission is free on Friday.
Saturday and Sunday tickets are $12, with discounted admission of $5 for ages 13-18 and $7 for seniors 62+. Children 12 and under are always free.
Two-day weekend passes are available online for $18. Evenings With tickets include admission and often a copy of the featured book.
