Growing Up: Family Day expands to Sunday at New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University

The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University is growing—and so is the magic for families. Festival organizers have announced that in 2026, the beloved Family Day at the Fest will move to Sunday, March 15, creating a dedicated day of literary fun just for children and families to wrap up the weekend. The book festival also announced that author submissions for the 2026 event are now open.

Previously held on Saturday alongside the main festival programming, Family Day will now take center stage with its own spotlight. The new Sunday format will feature a full day of kid-friendly author readings, interactive performances, costumed characters, hands-on crafts and community literacy partners—all free and open to the public.

“This move gives us the chance to elevate Family Day even further,” said Cheryl Landrieu, festival co-chair. “By extending the festival into Sunday, we’re creating more space for families to explore, connect and celebrate the joy of reading without competing with other programming.”

“By extending the festival into Sunday, we’re creating more space for families to explore, connect and celebrate the joy of reading without competing with other programming.”

- Cheryl Landrieu, festival co-chair

The core festival schedule remains unchanged: it kicks off with a keynote session on Thursday evening, March 12, followed by two full days of author panels and conversations on Friday and Saturday.

Earlier this year, Family Day welcomed over 20 children’s authors and 22 community partners and distributed more than 5,000 free books in partnership with Scholastic. The new Sunday schedule aims to build on that success and offer an even more welcoming and immersive experience for young readers and their families.

“Family Day is one of the most joyful and inclusive parts of the festival,” Landrieu said. “We’re thrilled to give it the spotlight it deserves.”

More details about Family Day and the full 2026 festival schedule will be shared at bookfest.tulane.edu in the coming months.

Author Submissions Now Open

Submissions for the 2026 New Orleans Book Festival are open now through September 15, 2025. The fifth annual festival will take place from March 12 to 15, 2026, on Tulane University’s uptown campus. Click here to submit an author application form.

Priority will be given to books published within 12 months of the festival, especially first releases rather than reprints. The festival will feature 150–200 authors, artists and thought leaders from New Orleans and beyond. All invited authors are expected to participate in at least one session, with most sessions taking the form of panels or moderated conversations.