Join us in the Lower Park on Saturday, August 31 from 10M to 4PM for The 3rd Annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival; a free-to-attend, all-ages event meant to promote reading, encourage writing, and celebrate storytelling.
The festival, presented by local writer Ian Kinney, features thousands of books on sale for $5 or less; vendor booths by local authors, artists, and merchants; a variety of food trucks and other concessions; kid-friendly activities such as storytelling, face-painting, and balloon animals; plus much more.
Additionally, for the third year in a row, the festival is proud to present a special basket raffle with gifts donated by some of the world’s best storytellers. This year’s star-studded list of celebrity donors includes Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Silverman, Neil Gaiman, Colleen Hoover, David Byrne, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Blink 182, legendary icon Bob Dylan, superstar Billie Eilish, and more!
Local sponsors to this year’s festival include BirchTree Fotos, Kelly’s Beauty Bar, Niagara Sports Tournaments, Orange Cat Coffee Co., Power City Eatery, Read It & Eat, The Village Bake Shoppe, Youngstown Village Diner, and others.
To learn more, become a sponsor, or make a donation: please visit www.BetterOffReadFestival.com.
The Better Off Read Summer Book Festival is an annual literary festival held in Lewiston, NY with the mission to encourage reading, promote writing, and celebrate storytelling. The first Better Off Read Summer Book Festival took place at Stella Niagara on July 9th, 2022. The event was sponsored by over two dozen local small businesses such as Favorite’s Pizza, The Brickyard, and Orange Cat Coffee Co., as well as larger local companies and organizations such as the Buffalo Bisons, the Buffalo Bandits, and Wegmans. The event was a massive success and allowed for the festival to return again the following year. The 2nd Annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival was once again held at Stella Niagara on July 15, 2023. The sophmore year for the event doubled the number of local vendors present and incorporated a number of new attractions for attendees to enjoy. Also, in addition to the large number of local sponsors, this year’s event received support from over 40 popular celebrities including Bruce Springsteen, Tony Hawk, Foo Fighters, Sarah Silverman, Bill Burr, Chris Pine, Aubrey Plaza, Lin Manuel Miranda, and more