The Story of Lake Erie Literary Festival
The Lake Erie Literary Festival began as the Washington Irving Literary Festival, a cherished initiative founded by the Erie Art Company and staged in City of Erie’s Washington Park.
Driven by a shared passion for literature and a desire to foster cultural engagement, the festival quickly gained momentum. In 2024, responding to growing enthusiasm and a vision for broader impact, the festival expanded significantly, rebranding as the Lake Erie Literary Festival and relocating to the vibrant, open spaces of Frontier Park. This move allowed us to welcome more authors, artists, and attendees, creating a truly immersive and accessible experience for everyone.
In 2025 the Lake Erie Literary Festival was a community celebration dedicated as a bridge between authors, artists, and the public. Our project is driven by four core pillars: making storytelling accessible, championing diverse literary voices, inspiring creativity through hands-on workshops, and strengthening Erie’s cultural fabric through shared discovery. The 2025 festival successfully transformed a literary event into a full-scale cultural activation, driving significant artistic and community value.
Artistic Excellence & Community Leadership
The Poetry and Performances area was a dynamic and inclusive highlight, elevated by the guidance of Mabel Howard—community activist, entrepreneur, and USA TODAY Woman of the Year. Furthermore, a strategic partnership with NWPA Poetry ensured a strong, dedicated poetic presence, bringing local poets to the main stage and celebrating spoken word as an essential literary art form. In a firm stand against censorship, the festival established a Banned Books Area and partnered with the Erie County Library who curated the books while Erie Art Company create festival signage to represent the history of banning books. This allowed attendees to freely engage and take home copies of frequently challenged titles. Together we handed out over 245 Free books, ranging from gender queer, historic, classics, fictional and narrative.
2025 Impact by the Numbers
Core Literacy & Access
245+ Free Books Distributed: Provided high-demand titles (LGBTQ+, Gender Queer, and Classics) through the "Banned Books" initiative to remove financial barriers to diverse literature.
100% Free Admission: Maintained zero-cost entry for the public, ensuring the festival remained a truly accessible community asset for all socioeconomic backgrounds.
15+ Hours of Programming: A full day of continuous literary engagement across the Main Stage, Youth Tent, and Workshop spaces.
Artistic & Professional Support
40+ Regional Authors & Poets: Showcased a "rich tapestry" of voices from the tri-state area, providing local indie creators with a platform to reach hundreds of new readers.
5+ Professional Writing Workshops: Led by published authors, these sessions provided free professional development in skills like character building and journaling.
24 Diverse Performances Curated by USA TODAY Woman of the Year Mabel Howard, featuring a representative mix of spoken word, poetry, and storytelling.
Economic & Community Vitality
25+ Small Business Vendors: Supported the local creative economy, featuring artisans like Bookforge and Creaky Spine Bindery, along with local publishers.
5+ Community Partnerships: Collaborative activations with organizations such as NWPA Poetry, Erie County Public Library, Mission Empower, LEAF, Gannon University, and City of Erie.
Local Economic Support: Featured iconic Erie small businesses, including Chuck and Ginny’s and Casey’s Ice Cream, keeping festival spending within the local community.
Engagement & Education
3 Dedicated Children’s Literacy Zone: Focused on "igniting passion" through "story times" for the next generation of readers.
Get involved, we are searching for those who are passionate and want to help the Literary Festival Grow!
