Presented by Orange Coast College & Orange Coast College Foundation

Orange County Children's Book Festival

Meet authors, explore books, and enjoy stories, entertainment, and family fun

Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 • 10am–3pm

Orange Coast College • Costa Mesa, CA

Free admission • Free parking

Exhibitor tent.

Exhibitor Booths

Food truck.
Star icon, conveying recognition.

Sponsorship

Coming soon

A day for families

This short highlight video shows the festival in action!

  • A welcoming festival built around books, stories, and kid-friendly moments
  • A chance to meet authors and discover books kids are excited about
  • A community tradition since 2004 made possible by sponsors and community partners

Highlight video • 1:43

Featured guests and exhibitors

Stay tuned for the 2026 lineup!

We're building a lineup of children's and teen authors, featured guests, and on-stage story moments — announced closer to the festival.


Expect a wide range of books and voices. In past years, exhibitors have included bilingual and multicultural titles, independent bookstores, award-winning authors, and books that reflect real-life experiences.

Now accepting exhibitor and food vendor applications.

Jasmine Warga.
Gene Luen Yang.
Craig Smith.
Austin Highsmith Garces.
Leslie Stratton.
Jesus Trejo.

Past featured guests

Colorful banner with the words

Get festival updates

Be the first to hear about event details, including our lineup of featured guests and exhibitors.

Join the mailing list

A day at the festival

Six moments to explore — use the arrows or choose a photo below

Two authors sign their new book.

Author meet-and-greets

Say hello and get books signed

Books + Booths

Discover new reads and shop books

Main stage shows

Enjoy live performances and special guests

Author read-alouds

Listen in as stories come to life

On-stage interviews

Hear Q&A and behind-the-scenes stories

Free train rides

Hop aboard for a campus loop

Be part of the festival

The festival welcomes authors, illustrators, and bookstores to apply for exhibitor booths, and food truck vendors to apply for food truck spaces.


Sponsorship details are coming soon. Schools interested in exhibitor booths can participate through sponsorship.


Exhibitor & food truck vendor details →

About

Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College (OCC) is a public community college located in Costa Mesa in Orange County, California founded in 1947.

Orange Coast College Foundation

The Orange Coast College (OCC) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) support organization that is committed to transforming student lives by securing and stewarding financial resources that support Orange Coast College.

Thank you to our sponsors and donors

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Nature's Symphony

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Faces of Humanity

Portraits of people from around the globe
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Sands of Time

Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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Beyond Boundaries

Visual odyssey across continents
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