Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! The majority of Six Bridges Book Festival events are free and open to the public. The festival fundraiser featuring Ariel Lawhon will be held on Sunday, October 4^th and is ticketed. To purchase tickets please visit 2026 Festival Fundraiser.

Most festival sessions are free, but advance registration is always encouraged. If a session reaches capacity, priority will be given to guests who registered in advance.

Six Bridges Book Festival events take place at several Central Arkansas Library System locations and partner venues throughout Little Rock.

On Saturday, October 3, festival sessions are concentrated in Library Square in River Market area of downtown Little Rock (by the CALS Main Library), making it easy to move from one session to the next.

Be sure to check the location listed for each event when planning your festival week.

Street parking and public parking lots and garages are available throughout downtown Little Rock.

Festival attendees can also park in the CALS parking deck on Rock Street or the Main Library parking lot. Parking at these two CALS locations can be validated. Unfortunately, CALS cannot validate parking in other downtown lots or garages.

We recommend allowing a little extra time to park and make your way to your session, particularly for popular Saturday events.

We recommend arriving at least 10 – 15 minutes before your session begins. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to guests who registered in advance if a session reaches capacity.

For sessions you especially want to see, register ahead of time and plan to arrive early.

The complete Six Bridges Book Festival schedule will be available online by September 1.

Prefer paper? Printed festival schedules will also be available at your local CALS branch beginning in September.

Please note that author appearances, session times, locations, and other festival details are subject to change. Check the online schedule for the most up-to-date information.

Of course! Attend one conversation, spend the entire day with us, or come back throughout the week. There’s no required festival pass or minimum number of events.

Festival sessions include author conversations, readings, panel discussions, and audience Q&As. And leave time afterward—all participating festival authors sign books following their sessions!

Yes! All Six Bridges authors sign books following their sessions.

Signing lines may vary depending on the author and audience size, so we recommend allowing some extra time after a session if you’d like to have your book signed.

Books by participating festival authors will be available onsite for purchase throughout the festival from our official bookselling partners, WordsWorth Books and Pyramid Books.

Purchasing books through our festival booksellers is a great way to support local independent bookstores and the Six Bridges literary community.

Yes! You are welcome to bring books from home to have signed. Individual authors may occasionally place limits on the number of books they can sign depending on time and crowd size.

Usually! Most festival authors allow personal photography during their book signings. If an author has requested no photography, a CALS staff member will let the audience know at the beginning of the session.

Please be respectful of authors and fellow attendees, and avoid flash photography during sessions.

You have plenty of options! Boulevard Bread Company, located on the first floor of the  CALS Main Library, offers food and drinks, and concessions are available at CALS  Ron Robinson Theater.

You’ll also find restaurants, coffee shops, and other dining options throughout downtown Little Rock within walking distance of CALS  Library Square.

Absolutely! Six Bridges welcomes readers of all ages, and Little Readers Rock is our special festival programming created just for young readers and their families.

Little Readers Rock features children’s authors, illustrators, stories, activities, and plenty of bookish fun. Check the festival schedule for this year’s Little Readers Rock events and details.

Children are also welcome at other festival sessions, though parents and caregivers may want to check individual event descriptions to find the best fit for their family.

Festival schedules can occasionally change due to travel, illness, or other circumstances beyond our control. We’ll update the online schedule with the latest information and share significant changes through festival communication channels whenever possible.

It takes a community to make Six Bridges happen! Information about festival volunteer opportunities can be found at https://cals.org/volunteer/.