KEY TAKEAWAYS: New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University runs March 12–15 on Tulane’s uptown campus More than 250 authors, artists and moderators across 100+ free sessions 2026 speakers include Stacey Abrams, Ken Burns, Roxane Gay and Salman Rushdie Expanded Family Day and programs ti ed to the “America 250” theme   The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University has released the 2026 schedule. The free festival will feature more than 250 authors, artists and moderators over four days, according to a news release. Running March 12-15 at Tulane’s uptown campus, there will be over 100 sessions, an expanded Family Day and a mix of conversations spanning literature, history, music, food and politics. Speakers for 2026 include Stacey Abrams, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, David Brooks, Ken Burns, Oren Cass, Roxane Gay, Walter Isaacson, Emeril and E.J. Lagasse, Erik Larson, Michael Lewis, Jon Meacham, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Imani Perry, Salman Rushdie, Dax Shepard and Clint Smith, among many others. View the complete festival schedule of sessions here. “As we celebrate our fifth year, the festival continues to grow in both scope and ambition,” said Festival Co-Chair Cheryl Landrieu. “We’re proud to bring together voices from across disciplines to spark meaningful conversations in the heart of New Orleans.” Thursday’s opening night will feature “The Atlantic’s Editor- in-Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, who will moderate a sweeping conversation on America at 250 with acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed, biographer and festival co-chair Walter Isaacson and The Atlantic staff writer and bestselling author Clint Smith.” Opening night will be held 5 to 7 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium. Many of the sessions will be dedicated to the theme of “America 250.” Culinary inspired sessions will include “New New Orleans Cuisine, Then Now,” which will feature the Lagasses, and will highlight “food culture and culinary storytelling.” Family Day will move to Sunday with two stages of programming and additional panels for middle-grade readers. The festival is free and open to the public, with seating available on a first-come basis. Registration is encouraged but not required. For more information on the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University, visit bookfest.tulane.edu. ...read more read less