Ohioana Book Festival 2026: Author Lineup & Event Schedule (April 18)

You’re heading to the Ohioana Book Festival on April 18, and I’ve got the skinny: authors across fiction, YA, kids’ books, and literary work, panels on craft, signings, snacks—real snacks—and workshops that actually teach you things. I’ll walk you through the keynotes, session times, a genre-sorted roster, and smart tips for snagging a signed copy, but first—pick your top two events, because you can’t be everywhere, and yes, I’ll help you prioritize.

Festival Overview and Key Details

If you like books, Ohio, or the excuse to wear comfy shoes while meeting authors, you’ll love the Ohioana Book Festival 2026. You’ll stroll into a sunlit hall, smell coffee and new paper, hear laughter and pages flipping; I nudge you toward festival highlights like panels, pop-up readings, and a kids’ corner that hands glitter-free glue.

You’ll grab a schedule, flag talks, and plan snack breaks. I’ll point out community engagement booths where local presses and libraries trade stories, swap zines, and recruit volunteers — you’ll leave inspired and oddly energized.

Expect clear signage, quick lines, and staff who actually smile. Bring a tote, bring questions, and don’t be shy; authors love good interrogations, I promise.

Featured Keynote Speakers

You’ve skimmed the schedule, hugged a stack of ARCs, and mentally mapped out snack times, so let me point you to the people who’ll make the whole day sing: our keynote speakers.

You’ll hear punchy keynote themes that range from small-town resilience to the science of memory, and yes, I promise they’re not just buzzwords.

I’ll introduce you to writers whose speaker backgrounds include newsroom grit, lab coats, backyard farms, and stages that once frightened them more than you will.

Picture a warm laugh, a notebook scribble, a microphone click, and stories that smell like coffee and rain.

You’ll leave energized, notebook heavy, and slightly tickled that you ever doubted free snacks.

Author Roster by Genre

You’re going to meet a stack of writers, I promise — from sharp literary voices that make you taste phrases, to playful children’s and YA authors who throw confetti on the page.

I’ll point out who’ll make you stay up late reading, who’ll have your kid begging for one more chapter, and who’ll quietly rearrange how you think about story.

Stick with me, bring snacks, and we’ll map the lineup so you know exactly which tables to camp out at.

Fiction and Literary

While I could brag that our Fiction and Literary roster reads like a secret bookshelf you’d raid at midnight, I’ll spare you the chest-thumping and just say: come hungry.

You’ll meet writers who slice into character development with a chef’s knife, who plate flawed people so real you’ll smell the coffee they’re pretending not to drink.

They’ll talk narrative structure like it’s a backyard fence you can climb, mend, or burn depending on mood.

You’ll hear brisk readings, catch a laugh, maybe wipe a tear, then argue plot points over coffee.

I’ll steer you to panels where the talk is sharp, honest, and slightly scandalous.

Bring a notebook, an open mind, and comfy shoes — authors like to walk as they talk.

Children’s and YA

Okay, enough grown-up plotting — let’s talk small hands and big hearts.

You’ll find picture-book poets who make you smell crayons and feel page corners, middle-grade adventurers who sprint across playgrounds, and YA voices that hit you right in the chest.

I point you to panels that celebrate diverse storytelling, scenes where authors read aloud, hands raised, kids giggling.

You’ll watch character development unfold live, questions flying, pens scratching fan notes.

I joke, I cry a little, I recommend you bring snacks and tissues.

Expect craft talks, signing lines, quick-fire readings, and cozy corner meet-and-greets.

You’ll leave with stamped books, sticky fingers, and a head buzzing with plots, ready to return as a delighted, slightly exhausted book nerd.

Panel Discussions and Scheduled Sessions

If panels are your thing, you’re in luck—these sessions are where ideas collide, jokes land (sometimes badly), and you’ll probably scribble something brilliant in the margins of your program.

You’ll hear practical self publishing strategies, sense real literary community engagement, and leave with a stack of sticky notes. I guide you to panels that ping like conversation, not lectures.

1. Craft & Hustle — writers trade tactics, trade-offs, and that terrifying first draft smell.
2. Voices & Venues — editors, podcasters, and festival organizers talk placement, nerves, and networking snacks.
3. Future Pages — trend talk, tech demos, and quickfire readings that make your pen twitch.

Bring a pen, your weird question, and comfy shoes; panels run long, but they’re worth it.

Children’s and Young Readers’ Events

Panels gave you strategy and snacks, now let’s trade swivel chairs for storytime rugs. You’ll sit cross-legged, I’ll whisper stage directions, and we’ll launch into interactive storytelling that turns wiggles into wide-eyed focus.

Authors kneel, voices shift, props rustle — you smell crayons, hear giggles, feel that soft rug under your knees. Short read-alouds jump into little debates about plot, while guided Q&A nudges budding writers toward strong character development, not just costume ideas.

You’ll clap, you’ll gasp, you’ll practice lines with a peer who insists on a dramatic sneeze. I’ll coach you through improv prompts, tiny bets on voice, and a quick scaffold to keep chaos useful.

It’s energetic, warm, a little messy, and perfectly designed for young readers.

Workshops and Craft-Focused Offerings

A handful of hands-on sessions will get you out of your seat and into the messy, thrilling middle of making: I’ll show you how to tear apart a story and stitch it back with better thread.

We’ll clay-sculpt a protagonist’s face (metaphorically and maybe literally), and you’ll leave with tools that actually work. You’ll sit at long tables, smell coffee, feel paper edges, and relate to other people who nod like they understand your weird plot choices.

I’ll lead lively writing exercises, you’ll try genre exploration on for size, and we’ll laugh at flops.

1. Quick-fire drills to sharpen scenes, voice, and stakes.
2. Genre exploration lab: mix noir, romance, and sci-fi.
3. Revision clinic: hands-on edits, sticky notes, fierce kindness.

Book Sales, Signings, and Vendor Info

You’ll leave the workshop sticky with notes and smelling faintly of coffee, then wander into rows of tables where books gleam like loot under warm lights.

You’ll scan covers, thumb spines, haggle with yourself about book pricing — impulse buys are real, and yes, you’ll buy that one with the quirky subtitle.

Authors sign with smiles, they personalize, they joke about messy drafts; you ask for a note, they complain about commas, you laugh, it’s perfect.

Vendor applications closed? Maybe not, check the site, but expect curated indie presses, zines, and merch.

Bring cash and cards, keep receipts.

Want to vend? Apply early, send clear photos, price tags, and a short blurb.

Don’t ghost the organizers; they notice.

Venue Map and Accessibility Details

Three floors of bookish chaos, mapped out like my grocery list when I’m trying to be organized — sort of neat, mostly hopeful.

I lead you through the festival layout, you follow signs, your tote bag brushes spines, you smile when you find the quiet room. Venue accessibility matters, so ramps, elevators, and clear aisles are marked, and staff wear bright badges to guide you.

1. Ground floor: main stage, vendor rows, loud readings — bring comfy shoes, expect crowds, savor coffee smells.
2. Second floor: panels, quieter nooks, accessible seating near doors — easy routes, clear signage, softer lighting.
3. Third floor: workshops, rest zones, elevator access nearby — headphones welcome, volunteer desks staffed, maps handed out.

Tips for Planning Your Festival Day

When I plan my festival day, I act like I’m prepping for a tiny, delightful expedition — checklist in one hand, tote bag in the other, coffee cooling faster than I’m willing to admit.

You’ll grab festival essentials: water, snacks, a portable charger, comfy shoes, and a lightweight sweater for sudden Ohio breezes.

Scan the schedule, pick two must-see panels, and leave breathing room for surprise finds.

I whisper little pep talks to my phone as I set alarms for signings, map routes between tents, and tuck a pen in my pocket because, yes, authors still sign paper.

Expect lines, plan snacks, and be kind in crowds.

Pace yourself, hydrate, and savor one honest-to-goodness moment with a book in hand.

Conclusion

You’re ready, aren’t you? I’ll bet you can already taste the coffee, hear murmured lines and the rustle of paperback pages. Show up early, snag a seat, hug a stranger when the author cracks a joke (consent, of course), and keep your tote close. I’ll be lurking by the snack table—probably spilling crumbs—so flag me down for a quick tip. Then brace yourself: one panel could change how you write, or how you live.