Portland Book Festival, presented by Bank of America, returns to the Portland Art Museum and neighboring venues on Saturday, November 5, 2022. This daylong event features author discussions, pop-up readings, writing workshops for youth and adults, kids’ story time, an extensive book fair, local food trucks, and more! Here are five tips to ensure you have your best Festival experience.
1. Make sure you pick up a wristband
Wristbands are required for entry into all PBF venues and events. Lines can be long the day of PBF, so we advise picking up your wristbands in advance. Our Advance Box Office at Portland’5 Hatfield Hall is open Tuesday, November 1, Wednesday, November 2, and Thursday, November 3, from 12:00–6:00 p.m. More information here.
If you plan to purchase or pick up your wristband the day of PBF, please go to the the Box Office tent outside the Portland Art Museum, Mark Building at 1119 SW Park Ave., Portland. The Box Office tent opens at 8:30 a.m. Please plan to arrive at least half an hour before the first event you want to attend.
Wristbands (General Admission passes) are $15 in advance of PBF/ $25 day-of, and include entry into Portland Art Museum and a $5 voucher to spend at the book fair. Passes for youth 17 & under (or with a valid high school ID) are free, as are veterans with military ID. $5 Arts for All passes are available to those with a SNAP/ Oregon Trail card.
2. Schedule your day…
Portland Book Festival events run from 9:15 a.m.–6:00 p.m. With 100+ presenters in the categories of Picture Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry, there is something for readers of all ages and interests.
PBF22_11x17_schedule-spread_V4_digital(Note: the full Portland Book Festival program guide will be available on the day of PBF at all venues.)
- Click here for a printable schedule of on-stage events
- Click here for the Portland Book Festival stage map
- Click here to filter events by genre, age group, or event type
- Click here for a printable Pop-Up events schedule
All events only require your General Admission wristband for entry (with the exception of the Selma Blair and Taylor Jenkins Reid events which require additional tickets). Seating for the general admission events is on a first-come first-served basis, so if there is an event you really want to see, arrive at that venue early and line up. (Note: venues are cleared between events.)
3. .. but also be open to the unexpected
Since seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, you may not be able to see each and every event you plan to. But that’s ok! Our number one piece of PBF advice is to be open to the unexpected. With more than 100+ presenters and programming happening all day, check out a panel in a genre you don’t typically read, explore the pop-up readings in Portland Art Museum galleries, or meet your new favorite local press at the book fair. You might discover something you didn’t even know you were looking for; that’s part of the magic of PBF!
4. Take public transport (or walk or bike) if you can
Portland Book Festival attendees are encouraged to walk, bike, or take public transit. Trimet has a useful trip planner here. If you are traveling by car, you can find directions to the Portland Art Museum at their site here. The museum/festival does NOT have a dedicated parking lot, but lot and street parking are available throughout downtown Portland. Supplemental bike racks will be available on the PBF campus (see Festival map).
To plan a trip to Portland, visit travelportland.com for information on travel specials and hotel offers.
5. Take a book break
There is more to Portland Book Festival than just books! Your General Admission pass also gives you entry into Portland Art Museum (PAM) to view their exhibits. You can also check out one of our on-site food cart vendors and take a break outside with a covered seating area in the PAM courtyard, or the 21+ PDX Jazz tent.
Food Trucks
- Ash Woodfired Pizza
- Cafe de Crepe
- Hot Eats
- Pip’s Original Doughnuts
- Tamale Boy
- Two Wahines
- Verajames Kitchen
Live Jazz performances
For those 21+ check out the PDX Jazz Tent in the Upper Sculpture Garden at PAM. There are performances at noon, 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.. Enjoy libations from a cash bar run by Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library inside the tent.
BONUS TIPS
Dress for the weather. Some lines for events and tickets will be uncovered and outside, and rain is always in the forecast! Also: bring a face mask: while indoor masking rules have been lifted overall, some events do require a face mask on the request of the authors. Finally, please be kind and respectful. Literary Arts has a zero tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. Access our organization’s anti-harassment policy here.
Check out the Portland Book Festival FAQ page, or contact us at la@literary-arts.org for more information.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, November 5 at Portland Book Festival!
