WELCOME TO BOOK LOVERS!

The Twentynine Palms Book Festival invites readers, authors, publishers, and entertainment professionals to discover fresh voices and original stories in one of California’s most unexpected literary destinations—at the edge of the Mojave Desert.

Located just one hour from Palm Springs, three hours from Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and under four hours from Phoenix, Twentynine Palms is easy to reach yet pleasantly off the grid. The city offers a variety of lodging options—from classic desert motels and boutique hotels to character-filled short-term rentals—ideal for festival stays, book launches, and informal meetings.

Held November 13–15, the annual festival takes place during one of the desert’s most beautiful seasons, with clear skies, warm days, and cool evenings—perfect for outdoor readings, conversations under the stars, and relaxed encounters across town.

The festival pays homage to California as a source of stories. From desert adventures and road journeys to memoirs, crime fiction, Indigenous storytelling, and children’s literature, the program celebrates the many ways writers have captured the spirit and pioneer imagination of the Golden State.

The 2026 edition coincides with two milestones that will naturally find their way into the program: the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the 250th anniversary of the United States, reminders of the journeys and myths that continue to inspire American storytelling.

A special highlight of the festival is Family & Kids Day, dedicated to encouraging a lifelong love of reading and writing among children and teenagers. Designed with educators, librarians, and authors, the program combines storytelling, workshops, and a reading challenge celebrating young readers.

The festival opens the day before with Desert Noir, an invitation-driven industry day bringing together noir fiction and nonfiction authors with screenwriters and producers interested in stories that could be adapted and filmed in the Mojave Desert.

Small in scale but rich in character, the Twentynine Palms Book Festival celebrates California’s storytelling traditions in the relaxed setting of a desert town that continues to inspire writers, artists, and travelers alike.

Full activation is scheduled for mid-April.