State guide
Arkansas
Arkansas has two book festivals this research could verify on their own sites, plus a state library in Little Rock’s orbit that supports libraries rather than running those festivals. Six Bridges Book Festival, named for the bridges between Little Rock and North Little Rock, is presented with the Central Arkansas Library System and says its 2026 edition welcomed 61 authors over eight days. NWA Book Fest lists a 2026 festival at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, with readings, panels, workshops, a book market, and an open mic. The Arkansas State Library’s site, library.arkansas.gov, describes the Traveler digital-resource program for residents, schools, libraries, and universities.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State library or arts office
- Arkansas State Library
- Festivals we verified
- Six Bridges Book Festival; NWA Book Fest
- Official program page
- Official page →
Six Bridges describes itself as a festival that celebrates reading, literacy, stories, and wordsmithing. Its about text says nationally known authors join local writers for panels, and that authors also visit schools through Writers in the Schools. The 2026 page thanks visitors and asks them to complete a survey, which is a sign the edition being described had already taken place when this guide was compiled. The site does not need a secondhand recap of every panel. Readers who want the next edition should use sixbridgesbookfestival.org rather than an old news story.
NWA Book Fest’s 2026 page places the event at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville and lists hours of 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the date the page publishes. It says author and vendor applications for 2026 were closed. The public offerings named on that page are author readings and signings, panel discussions, workshops, a bookish market, and an open mic. That is a one-day literary festival in Northwest Arkansas, separate from the longer Six Bridges program in the center of the state.
The Arkansas State Library is the government library agency. Its homepage explains Traveler, a statewide set of online resources, and it posts training for library staff, including a 2027 summer-reading workshop. Those services matter for librarians and residents who need research access. They are not a substitute for either festival’s author schedule. If a page about a festival and a page about Traveler disagree about what is happening on a Saturday, believe the festival site for the festival and the state library site for library services.
Official resources in Arkansas
Official site for the Little Rock and North Little Rock literary festival associated with the Central Arkansas Library System.
Official 2026 page for the Fayetteville festival at the Walton Arts Center.
State library home for the Traveler digital resources program and library-development training.
Key facts for Arkansas
- Six Bridges Book Festival says it is named for the six bridges linking Little Rock and North Little Rock.
- The festival site says the 2026 edition welcomed 61 authors for programs over eight days.
- Six Bridges says authors also visit students through Writers in the Schools.
- NWA Book Fest’s 2026 page lists the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville and hours from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- That page says 2026 author and vendor applications were closed and lists readings, panels, workshops, a market, and an open mic.
- The Arkansas State Library says Traveler provides online resources to residents, schools, libraries, and universities.
Verified festivals and programs in Arkansas
| Festival | city | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Six Bridges Book Festival | Little Rock | Literary festival named for the bridges between Little Rock and North Little Rock. The 2026 site says 61 authors appeared over eight days. |
| NWA Book Fest | Fayetteville | 2026 festival page lists the Walton Arts Center, readings, panels, workshops, a book market, and an open mic. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Pick the city first: Six Bridges is the Little Rock-area festival, and NWA Book Fest is in Fayetteville.
- Use each festival’s own site for the next dates instead of assuming both weekends match.
- If you want to exhibit, read whether applications are still open on that festival’s page.
- Use Traveler through the state library when you need research databases, not a festival schedule.
Not seeing your festival or county?
We list a festival only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Arkansas, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Arkansas's population center, for comparison only):
- Mississippi Book Festival, Mississippi · about 247 miles
- Unbound Book Festival, Missouri · about 259 miles
- Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma · about 270 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Arkansas State Library
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Arkansas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- How to use a state book festival guide
- What a book festival typically includes
- The National Book Festival
- Finding author events at the state library