MAIN STREET STAGE
Located Outside on El Camino Real at Main Street
10:00AM- Second Chance at Love with Yourself
REBEKAH WEATHERSPOON
MELISSA WHITNEY
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
JEANNIE CHOE
VICTORIA LUM
MODERATOR- GISSANE SOPHIA
11:00AM- Let’s Talk About It: AI in the Humanities and the Arts
CONVERSATION PRESENTED BY:
LUCAS CANTOR SANTIAGO
DARYLE WILLIAMS
12:00PM- More Than Paradise: Storytelling Inspired by Hawaii's History and Culture
KAUA MAHOE ADAMS
MODERATOR - SOPHIE KANNO
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
JASMIN ‘IOLANI HAKES
1:00PM- Writing Community in Conversation with Dashka Slater
IN CONVERSATION WITH
DASHKA SLATER
2:00PM- How SoCal and Our Subcultures Have Influenced Music
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
JEFF PEARLMAN
NATE JACKSON
MODERATOR- CHARISMA MADARANG
3:00PM- The Art of Uncovering the Real Story: California Journalists Talk Identity, Family and Belonging
CONVERSATION PRESENTED BY:
YUSRA FARZAN
ERIKA HAYASAKI
SANDY TOLAN
GUSTAVO ARELLANO
4:00PM- Secrets and Shadows: Crafting Suspense Across Genres
PARTICIPATING AUTHORS
SANDRA CHAWIALKOSKA
ASHLEY TROPEA
LISBET WENCES
LAUREN LEE SMITH
EL CAMINO STAGE
Located Outside on El Camino Real at Second Street
10:00AM- We the Readers: Native Influences on U.S. Governance-- Promises Kept and Broken
MODERATOR- GABE BALTZ, OF THE GABRIELENO-TONGVA TRIBE
HEIDI LUCERO, JUANENO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS ACJACHEMEN NATION
PRESENTED BY & BOOKS DONATED BY:
DR. THOMAS “TJ” REED, ONEIDA NATION OF WISCONSIN
DR. SARAH WHITT, CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
11:00AM- How to Think Like a Criminal
CHRISTOPHER FARNZWORTH
GEORGIA JEFFRIES
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
JAMIE PARKER STICKLE
MODERATOR- LEE GOLDBERG
12:00PM- Raising Belonging: Nurturing Identity, Culture, and Race in Modern Parenting
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
LESLIE PRISCILLA
FARZANA NAYANI
MODERATOR- NANCY BROWN
1:00PM- Ask a Publisher: Conversation with Local Small Presses
DAVID A. ROMERO, EL MARTILLO PRESS
BRENDA VACA, RIOT OF ROSES PUBLISHING HOUSE
MARY VENSEL WHITE, TYPE EIGHTEEN BOOKS
ERICA CASTRO, DAXSON PUBLISHING
PARTICIPATING LOCAL PRESSES:
2:00PM- Confronting the Terror Within and the Evil Without
CHLOE LAUTER
JOSEPH FINK
BRIAN ASMAN
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
SHANE HAWK
3:00PM- California Noir: Writing Dark Fiction in the Golden State
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
BARBARA DeMARCO-BARRETT
MODERATOR- SAM ROBERTSON
DC FROST
MARGARET ELYSIA GARCIA
THIRD STREET STAGE
Located Outside on Third Street at Prospect Avenue
10:00AM- Poets Laureate in Conversation
PARTICIPATING POETS LAUREATE
LEE HERRICK, CA POET LAUREATE
CLARA MEJIA-YUAN, YOUTH POET LAUREATE OF ORANGE COUNTY
ALEXANDRA UMLAS, 2027 ORANGE COUNTY POET LAUREATE
MODERATOR- LIZETH DE LA LUZ
CAMILLE HERNANDEZ, ANAHEIM POET LAUREATE
THE INAUGURAL TUSTIN YOUTH POET LAUREATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS PART OF THE POETS LAUREATE CONVERSATION.
11:15AM- Poets in Conversation
PARTICIPATING POETS
EMCEE- JOSH WOOD
11:15AM
in conversation with
ALEXIS JAIMES
DONATO MARTINEZ
11:40AM
JEREMIAH COBRA
IDRIS GOODWIN
in conversation with
12:25PM
in conversation wtih
MARCUS OMARI
MIMI TEMPESTT
1:00PM- Breath of Fire Anthology Fuego!
ELIZABETH ISELA SZEKERESH
ADRIANA ALBA
ANATALIA VALLEZ
2:00PM- OC Slam Poetry
3:00PM- Rhymes & Vibes: Youth Open Mic
GOT A POEM, A PAGE OF PROSE, OR A SONG YOU WROTE? STEP UP TO THE MIC!
WHETHER YOU ARE SHARING FOR THE FIRST TIME OR ARE AN EXPERIENCED YOUTH SPOKEN-WORD ARTIST, THIS IS A WELCOMING SPACE FOR YOUTH TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.
ALL CREATIVE STYLES ARE WELCOME!
4:00PM- Playwriting Workshop
PRESENTED BY:
PARTICIPANTS WILL ENGAGE IN WRITING PROMPTS TO TAP INTO INSPIRATION FOR A CURRENT PROJECT, ONE YOU WANT TO EXPLORE, OR TO WRITE FOR THE FIRST TIME!
DRAWING FROM YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, COMMUNITY, AND CURIOSITY YOU WILL LEAVE THE WORKSHOP WITH NEW WRITING.
NO PREVIOUS PLAYWRITING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY- JUST CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION!
Workshop led by:
ELIZABETH ISELA SZEKERESH
C STREET STAGE
Located Outside on Third Street at C Street
10:00AM- Super Star Story Time with Chudney Ross
PRESENTED BY:
10:30AM- Super Star Story Time with Katrina Tangen
Katrina’s mother & sister will be reading “Ramp It Up!”
10:45AM- Super Star Story Time with Alexandra Katona
Reading of “Finding My Wave”
11:00AM- Celebrating Picture Book Month with AAPI Joy!
PANEL PRESENTED BY:
PATRICIA TANUMIHARDJA
SHIHO PATE
NATASHA KHAN KAZI
MODERATOR- JHOANNA BELFER
JOCELYN CHUNG
CHRISTINE ALEMSHAH
12:O0PM- Super Star Story Time with Brooke Knows Ball, Brooke Lazinski and Joel LaFlamme
Reading of “Brooke and the Maple Street 9”
12:15PM- Super Star Story Time with Patricia Tanumihardja with Illustrator Shiho Pate
Reading of “Fried Rice Surprise”
12:45PM- Super Star Story Time with Mara James
Reading of “The Power of Piggie Bear”
1:00PM- Super Star Story Time with Felicity Figueroa of OC Equality Coalition
1:15PM- Super Star Story Time with Pride at the Pier
Reading of “Grace for President”
1:30PM- Super Star Story Time with Idris Goodwin
Reading of “Don’t Drop the Mic”
1:45PM- Super Star Story Time with Christine Alemshah
Reading of “Bea's Balikbayan Box of Treasures”
2:00PM- From Recess to Real Life: Writing Books Kids Want to Read
PARTICIPATING MIDDLE GRADE AUTHORS
SARA AMINI
TRACY BADUA
PRIYA SWAMINATHAN
MODERATOR- DESI ST. AMANT
3:00PM- Super Star Story Time with Heidi Rojas
Reading of “I Am Enough: Soy Fuerte Ya”
3:30PM- Super Star Story Time with Aram Kim
Reading of “Tokki's Tricks: A Korean Folktale”
3:45PM- Super Star Story Time with Tootie Nienow
Reading of “For Always Friends?”
4:00PM- Super Star Story Time with Cynthia de la Torre
Reading of “Flowers for Tia Luz Maria”
4:15PM- Super Star Story Time with Rachell Abalos
Reading of “Our Nipa Hut”
4:30PM- Super Star Performance by OCSA Thespians Troupe #6826
Performing a Spanish Translation of “If You Take a Mouse to School”
Food Stage
PRESENTED BY:
Located on the Corner of El Camnino and Third Street
10:00AM- UC Master Food Preserver
Sauerkraut! Easy and Tasty!
The UC Master Food Preservers of Orange County will be at the OC Book Fair- Volume 3 demonstrating how to make sauerkraut, showing you how easy it is to make, and provide you with a handout so you can make it yourself at home.
11:00AM- Julie Mai Tran
IN CONVERSATION WITH
JULIE MAI TRAN
1:00PM- Delilah Snell
IN CONVERSATION WITH
DELILAH SNELL
SARAH MOSQUEDA
3:00PM- Jessica Gavin
IN CONVERSATION WITH
JESSICA GAVIN
Senior Center
Located on C Street at Second Street
10:00AM- Super Star SENSORY FRIENDLY Story Time and Activities with Leah Khoury
11:00AM- Read It, Repeat It, Share It- Reading Games for Home
Empowering Readers OC shares simple-to-implement reading games to engage your children at home. What if reading time felt less like homework and more like play? In this workshop, you'll learn three games grounded in the science of reading that turn your child from a listener into a partner in the story. They work for children just starting to read and for those working through their first chapter books. You don't need special training or materials, just a book and a few minutes together. Come see how a small change in how you read together can make a big difference at home.
PRESENTED BY:
12:00PM- "I Am": The Power of Story Exploring Identity Through Poetry Workshop
In this creative and reflective workshop, participants will craft their own “I Am” poems to explore identity, culture, and lived experience. Through guided prompts and storytelling, we will celebrate the many layers that shape who we are, and how our individual stories connect to community, belonging, and justice. Together, we’ll use poetry and dialogue to honor difference, affirm voice, and build empathy. This space invites connection, reminding us that when we share our stories, we help create a world where everyone feels seen and valued. Attendees will have opportunities to display/share out their poems.
PRESENTED BY:
WORKSHOP LED BY ANGEL ZAVALA:
1:00PM- MASC Poetry Workshop: Exploring Identity Through Poetry, featuring Lee Herrick, CA State Poet Laureate
PRESENTED BY:
2:00PM- The Incredible You Adventure Book: A Storytelling Adventure with Life Size Interactive Book
Join The Incredible You Adventure Book for an unforgettable storytelling adventure featuring a life size interactive book. Children literally step into the pages, become the characters, and bring each story to life. At TIYA Book, children don't just hear the story...they live it!
Illustrator’s Corner
Located on Outside on Third Street at El Camino Real
10:00AM- Carrie Schneider
Create your own “safe space”! Enjoy guided drawing of astronaut self-portraits and LGBTQ-affirming planets.
11:00AM- Su Moon
Reading of “Vlad Is Mad!” followed by a drawing demo, and a craft focusing on big feelings.
12:00PM- Benson Shum
1:00PM- Shiho Pate
2:00PM- Joy Hwang Ruiz
Story Time and a Drawing Demonstration From the Book with Prompts
3:00PM- Emmanuel Guerrero
4:00PM- Lisa Johnston Hancock
Reading of Santiago and Great Bear with demo on how every character starts with basic shapes! Kids will learn to draw their own version of Great Bear.