Families filtered in and out of the Bethlehem Area Public Library on Saturday, weaving between bookshelves, author tables and panel discussions during the Lehigh Valley Book Festival.
The annual festival, founded in 2020, brings together local and touring authors, children’s programming and community partnerships under this year’s theme, “Reading is Resistance: Celebrating Conversations, Not Keyboards.”
The theme highlights the importance of in-person dialogue and human connection in an increasingly digital world.
Kirsten Hess, the festival’s founder and owner of The End: a Bookstore, said the goal is to unify smaller literary gatherings across the region into one larger, more impactful experience.
“It just seemed like a natural next step to have one event and get more interest,” Hess said. “That way, publishers are happy, the authors are happy, the public is happy. It’s a win-win.”
The festival’s first iteration was canceled due to COVID, but it returned in person in 2022 and has grown since then. Now spanning multiple locations across the Lehigh Valley, it hosts events leading up to the main day at the library.
Hess said the region’s proximity to New York City helps attract nationally touring authors. However, she said strong local partnerships sustain the event.
“If we didn’t have those places, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” she said. “They’re working with us to make it happen because they believe in the mission.”
At the center of that mission is the belief that books foster empathy and connection in ways other forms of media often cannot.
“People need people, (so) how do we get back to that kind of connection?” Hess said. “Books and authors bring things to our attention in ways that TV or social media can’t.”
That emphasis on literary connection and face-to-face interaction was reflected in the range of programming throughout the day. Panels addressed both national and everyday issues, encouraging discussion across age groups and experiences.
For the library, hosting the festival’s main day provided an opportunity to transform a familiar community space into something more dynamic.
Emily Doyle, head of reference at the Bethlehem Area Public Library, said hosting the festival was a strong use of the space.
“It’s a day for people to be very excited about all the good things that books are,” she said.
Doyle said the event aligns closely with the library’s mission by encouraging curiosity about different perspectives.
“Seeing different perspectives through books is one of the most accessible ways to get a glimpse into somebody else’s situation,” Doyle said.
She said that mission was evident in both structured events and informal interactions. Attendees moved freely between activities, often stopping to talk with authors or browse book tables set up for the event.
Doyle said the festival brought in a wide range of visitors, many of whom might not typically spend time at the library, and that it serves as an engaging way to spark interest in reading among people of all ages.
Families were especially present during the morning hours, when children’s programming drew younger readers into the space.
For some, the festival offered a chance not only to engage with books but also to share that experience with others.
Heather Harlen, an educator who’s attended the festival in years past, said she came this year with her niece, viewing it as both an educational and meaningful outing.
“Reading is just fundamentally so good for children,” Harlen said. “The bigger your vocabulary is, the more you can express yourself and have access to things in the world.”
Harlen said she values the sense of community the festival creates, describing it as more than just a series of literary events.
“My favorite part overall is just the community that is brought together around books and around being a loving, caring community,” she said.
That sense of community is something Hess intentionally built into the festival’s structure.
Hess said by combining author events, children’s programming and partnerships with local organizations, the festival reaches a wide audience, including those who may not identify as readers.
“Somewhere in middle school, people decide whether they’re readers or not,” Hess said. “We want to connect (with) people who don’t consider themselves readers.”
She said part of that effort includes making the event feel approachable rather than inaccessible. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions and engage with authors in a more casual setting than they might find at larger literary events.
Hess said even small moments of connection can have a lasting impact.
“If we change one mind about anything — about being more compassionate — that’s a win,” she said.
The festival also extended its reach beyond the day’s events through community initiatives, including book donations to local organizations such as school libraries in Allentown and Bethlehem and The Boys & Girls Club, ensuring access to books after the festival ends.
For Doyle, that continued engagement is one of the most important outcomes of hosting the event at the library.
“It brings people in who maybe haven’t been here in a while, or ever,” Doyle said. “Hopefully it shows them what we have to offer.”
While the festival featured a full schedule of panels and activities, much of its impact came through the small moments, conversations sparked by shared interests, recommendations exchanged between strangers or children discovering books that captured their attention.
Doyle said she hopes those moments carry beyond the event itself.
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