When you hear that there is a book festival in a town as tiny as Lewes, Delaware — home to just 3,000 people — you wouldn’t be blamed for underestimating it. However, the History Book Festival attracts more than 5,000 attendees each year.

 

Lewes, Delaware

Lewes  — the first town in the first state  — is a town with unexpectedly rich history and architecture, graced with beautiful bay and ocean beaches, two lighthouses, and a famous ferry. The History Book Festival draws an audience of people from over 30 states and abroad. The Festival schedule ensures there’s time for attendees to enjoy Lewes’ historical, dining and shopping district and other attractions.

Book sales and signings

Book sales are available at all Festival venues, courtesy of HBF’s official bookseller Browseabout Books, and HBF authors sign books directly after their presentations. The ticketed keynote and closing addresses also include a signed book with the price of admission. Want to read a Festival book in advance? The History Book Festival buys all Festival books for the Delaware Public Library System, and Browseabout stocks books as they are published.

Save the dates

Three days of history: September 26, 27 & 28, 2025! We begin with a ticketed keynote on Friday evening, followed by a full-day of free programming on Saturday (no registration required), and a ticketed closing address on Sunday afternoon.

It’s an easy drive

Lewes is a comfortably short drive from D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. It’s also within 90-minutes of the Wilmington AMTRAK station as well as both BWI and PHI airports.

22 presentations

The 2025 Festival features 22 presentations by well-known and emerging authors of historical fiction and narrative nonfiction, covering a broad range of eras and subjects. Check out this year’s books here.

Spirited Discussion

After Saturday sessions, our Spirited Discussion is an informal, festive gathering for audience members, volunteers, and presenters to mingle, celebrate, and discuss their day at the festival.

Logistics are easy

Events take place in the Historic District of Lewes, Delaware, at venues that are within walking distance of each other. The Festival also has a free, dedicated shuttle bus to transport attendees between all Saturday venues, the Festival Food Court, local restaurants, and nearby shopping.

Festival Food Court

For a drink, snack, or lunch between sessions, attendees can visit one of the food trucks at the Festival Food Court for a variety of options to choose from.

 

Still have questions? Here are some that we’re often asked:

  • Does it cost anything to attend HBF? No and Yes. All Saturday events are free and open to all. Keynote and Closing Events require the purchase of a ticket (which includes a signed copy of the featured book).

  • Do I need to register for the free Saturday events? No. Seating at HBF’s Saturday events is open admission with seating available on a first-come basis.

  • Do I need to read the book(s) ahead of time to enjoy the day? No. One of the most fun parts of book festivals is that you can enjoy hearing the authors (and learn a lot!) without having read the books in advance. Most attendees will not have read the books before coming to HBF.

  • Is there a map that shows where each venue is located? Yes, a map is included in the HBF program booklet and can be accessed in PDF format here.

  • Is there ample parking at each venue? Parking varies from venue to venue, with both parking lot and street parking options available. In addition, the City of Lewes has free parking lots on Schley Avenue and at the north end of Canalfront Park (little league field). We recommend planning your day to take advantage of the free HBF shuttle running between venues and downtown Lewes (Second & Market Streets, where meters are in effect) or to enjoy the town’s walk-able scale and/or bike paths.

  • Where can I grab a bite to eat in the midst of the day? Lewes has many great restaurants that offer on-site dining and takeout. HBF also arranges for food trucks at the Rollins Center venue for grab-and-go options between 11 AM and 2 PM (note that due to circumstances beyond control, there are occasions where food trucks have technical or supply or personnel issues that affect their participation at the last minute - please be patient with these small businesses as they do their best to serve). We invite coffee carts every year to serve our HBF audience, especially in the morning (we will be just as pleased as you are when they are able to make it!).

  • Are the presentation venues accessible? Yes, all HBF venues are fully accessible. If you have specific questions/concerns, please reach out via our Contact form.

  • I forgot my water bottle - where can I get one? In addition to the HBF food trucks and coffee carts, the Lewes Public Library also has vending machines and a water bottle refilling station in their lobby.

  • I’m hopeless at directions - will someone be there to help direct me? Yes. HBF has directional signage outside of each venue (we work to make it better with your feedback!) and there are HBF volunteers available at each venue throughout the day who can assist.

  • Can I ask the volunteers to fix the temperature in the room? You can ask, but they may not be able to adjust to your liking. We recommend dressing in layers, so that a jacket or sweater can be added/removed as needed.

  • Where can I find restrooms? In addition to the restrooms accessible at each venue, Lewes also has public restrooms at the trailhead adjacent to the library, in Zwaanendael Park (behind the Lewes Chamber of Commerce’s Welcome Center), in Mary Vessels Park (Market & Front Streets), and in the Canalfront Park.