History

The Kansas Book Festival began in 2011 under the direction of First Lady Mary Brownback. The first event was held Saturday, September 24, at the Kansas Historical Society in Topeka. Approximately 900 were in attendance to hear more than 30 authors, including David Eisenhower, present their most recent books. Since then, attendance has grown to more than 2200 people, and our programming has expanded to include interactive activities for children, author visits to schools, and collaboration with local artists and musicians.

In March 2012, the first round of Kansas Book Festival Library Grants were awarded with a total of nearly $15,000 being distributed to public and school libraries across the State. We’ve now distributed $134,000 over 15 years. The Kansas Book Festival Board of Directors was formed at the beginning of 2013 to help ensure the longevity of the Kansas Book Festival Foundation. They meet quarterly to discuss ways to improve the foundation as a whole and the festival.