Nonprofit
El Festival del Libro/Festival of Books 2026
RSVP
Details
Participation:
Description
“ElFEST” is a place-making annual bilingual Latin@ Heritage Month Literary event. Admission to the public is free. In 2026, El Festival's date is Saturday October 10th at the East Harlem Bilingual Headstart Program, 440 East 116th Street & Pleasant Ave. It keeps to the tradition of honoring Indigenous People's Weekend & Hispanic Heritage Month.
The full richness of bilingual heritages is on display for early childhood, grade school, and youth, adults & senior audiences. Activities include writing workshops (creative, hip-hop, and memior writing), open mic, & readings. Supporting the economy is shown by book purchases. The event has a dedicated children's story corner, and TOA (Triology of Arts) musical accompaniment by LaFroJaz allows for audience participation. It's an event is designed to help improve bilingual skills. La Fortaleza' Speakers' Bureau provides writers for in-school appearances, extended workshops, and speaking.
La Fortaleza is looking for prospects to handle specific tasks and assignments that make for a successful event, manage ticket subscription sites, social media pages (FaceBook, YouTube, LinkedIn, & others. Interpersonal & soft skills a plus. We want to have people who share our passion and admiration for cultural soverignty and local community management of local resources. We'll need folks to be hosts, set-up & break-down. The image below is teh print media promotion of El Festival del Libro 2025.
Location
East Harlem Bilingual Headstart Program
Directions
Lexington Avenue IRT local train to East 116th Street (Lexington Avenue). Either walk East to Pleasant Avenue or take the M116 bus to First Avenue & a splendid one-block walk to NYC's old Lil Italy along Pleasant Ave.
How to Join
Writers, literary organizations, and sponsors wishing to participate can reply with an e-mail to lafort10029@gmail.com. We'll also open our event registration page the closer to the event date. Authors, organizations, and sponsors can have an assistant at their table, marketing materirals, and books. You can have backdrops, table cloth covers, and give away items. My direct contact is 646 633 1790 or at e-mail listed. The East Harlem Bilingual Headstart Program location is a 500 perssons auditorium in the 3rd busiest commercial corridor, East 116th Street.
