Carmel-by-the-Sea Book Festival

Join fellow book lovers at the Carmel-by-the-Sea Book Festival at Carmel Plaza for a day of stories, author conversations, book discoveries, and community. Meet acclaimed local and regional authors, browse signed books, enjoy family-friendly activities, and experience special literary panels featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley, Meredith May, and Lisa Crawford Watson. The festival concludes with Alison van Diggelen presenting The Love Project and the unveiling of the 2026 Hearts of Carmel collection.