Let’s have another wonderful year of literacy, learning, and strengthened community connections.
2026 Festival
COMING SEPTEMBER 12th
at Frontier Park
Summer of Reading in the City of Erie
Building a stronger Erie, one story at a time.
This summer, Mayor Daria S. Devlin is launching the Summer of Reading, a citywide initiative focused on expanding access to books, supporting learning, and encouraging residents of all ages to make reading part of their everyday lives.
Get ready to celebrate storytelling! The 2026 Lake Erie Literary Festival is returning to Frontier Park bringing together national authors, local voices, and literary lovers of all ages.
Guided by the Erie Art Company's focus on creative placemaking, this year's festival is all about community. We've partnered with the City of Erie. local schools, neighborhood groups, and Erie County Library to create an unforgettable experience. Whether you're looking to attend a craft panel, jump into an interactive writing workshop, enjoy a dynamic spoken-word showcase, or bring the kids to our youth-centered activities, there's something here to spark your imagination and help our local arts community thrive.
Our Organization
The Erie Art Company is a local non-profit corporation dedicated to innovative and exemplary art and education projects. Together with community leaders, local artists, and numerous volunteers, we create projects that focus on combining arts and technology initiatives.
AUTHOR TENT
Welcome to the heart of our literary festival. This collection of authors represents a tapestry of voices, each thread woven with unique experiences. Each author brings a distinct flavor to the festival, offering a glimpse into the human experience through the lens of their own unique narrative.
CHILDREN TENT
Welcome to the Children's Tent at the Lake Erie Lit Festival! Here, young imaginations soar with authors sharing enchanting stories of adventure, friendship, and discovery. Each storyteller guides journeys through fantastical and relatable tales. Children will explore diverse themes and cultures, inspiring curiosity and creativity. Join us for reading sessions, interactive storytelling, and a chance to meet the voices behind the books that ignite young minds. Let the adventure begin!
Fight Fascism with the Lake Erie Lit Fest 2026
Fascism thrives on censorship and the suppression of ideas. In partnership with the Erie County Public Library, we're giving away free banned books to empower our community with knowledge and activate critical thinking.
Your donation to Lake Erie Lit Fest directly supports this vital initiative, helping us put essential literature into the hands of readers and push back against the forces that seek to control what we read and think.
Visit Erie County Public Library’s Banned Books Exhibit at Lake Erie Lit Fest to explore the books being challenged today. Take home a copy (while supplies last) and decide for yourself what warrants a book ban.
Join us in defending freedom of speech and the right to read. Donate today to fight fascism, one banned book at a time!
