Knoxville families, mark your calendars: the 19th annual Children’s Festival of Reading is set for Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at World’s Fair Park. Hosted by the Knox County Public Library, this award-winning event is the official kickoff to the summer reading season and promises a full day of stories, science, music and hands-on fun for kids of all ages.

This year’s theme, Curious Minds: The Sky Above Us, invites young readers to explore the wonders of the sky through books, art and imagination. The festival recently earned the 2025 Kaleidoscope Award for Best Children’s Event in the Southeast, and it’s easy to see why .

Meet the Authors

The festival will feature a stellar lineup of children’s and young adult authors:

  • Elliott Smith: Author of more than 80 books, including Baseball Blues, this year’s One Book Read City title.
  • Kevin Lewis: Beloved for picture books like Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo and My Truck is Stuck!.
  • Kate Messner: New York Times bestselling author of Over and Under the Snow and Capture the Flag.
  • Jennifer Nielsen: Known for The False Prince and The Traitor’s Game, her books are packed with adventure and heart.
  • Aisha Saeed: Co-author of Yes No Maybe So and author of Amal Unbound, a Global Read Aloud selection.
  • Vivian Vande Velde: Award-winning author of spooky and fantastical tales like Heir Apparent and Never Trust a Dead Man.

Authors will be available for book signings and presentations throughout the day.

Festival Highlights

The Parade of Books steps off at 11 a.m., led by Mayor Glenn Jacobs and 10-year-old Xander, a Read City Challenge champion from Carter Branch Library.

Kids can snap selfies with favorite storybook characters like Elephant and Piggie, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Zadie from Work It Out Wombats will be hanging out in the East Tennessee PBS tent.

New this year: the Sky Lounge — a dreamy space filled with clouds, rainbows and a chill vibe.

Returning favorites include the Science and Discovery Tent, Music Stage, Storyteller’s Theatre, One World Circus, Toddler Town, Miss Libby’s Arts and Crafts and over 50 community vendors. Don’t miss the Friends of the Library’s Used Book Sale for great deals on gently loved reads.

The Children’s Festival of Reading is presented by Comcast and supported by a host of generous sponsors, including the Friends of the Library, Thompson Charitable Foundation, ORNL Federal Credit Union, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, and many more. For more information, visit the Knox County Public Library’s Festival page.

Mary Pom Claiborne is assistant director for marketing, communications and development for Knox County Public Library.