Montclair festival returns
The Montclair Literary Festival will mark its 10th year in May with more than 60 authors on the program and programming run by the nonprofit Succeed2gether. (wdhafm.com) Money raised by the festival supports free tutoring for underserved children in Essex County through Succeed2gether. (wdhafm.com)
Montclair’s literary festival returns May 2 through May 11 for its 10th year, with more than 60 authors scheduled across more than 30 events. (succeed2gether.org) The festival is run by the nonprofit Succeed2gether, and organizers say most events are free for attendees. The opening Saturday is set for downtown Montclair venues, and the second Saturday shifts to Montclair State University. (succeed2gether.org) This year’s lineup includes Joyce Carol Oates, Colm Tóibín, Tom Perrotta, Eugene Robinson, Xochitl Gonzalez, Adriana Trigiani, Maria Semple and Christina Baker Kline. Succeed2gether’s author list shows additional fiction, nonfiction and poetry writers across the 10-day program. (succeed2gether.org) The festival doubles as a fundraiser for Succeed2gether’s education work in Essex County. The group says proceeds support free tutoring and other academic programs for underserved students. (succeed2gether.org) That mission has been part of the event from the start. Succeed2gether says it launched the Montclair Literary Festival in 2017 to celebrate reading and connect local institutions, schools and residents around books and ideas. (gaolf.org) The 2026 schedule spreads events across churches, the Montclair Public Library and university spaces rather than a single ticketed hall. On May 2 alone, organizers list programs at First Congregational Church, the library auditorium and Mills Auditorium. (succeed2gether.org) Some headline events are paid author talks tied to new books. Listings show tickets at $35 for Xochitl Gonzalez’s May 9 appearance and for Colm Tóibín’s May 2 event, with each ticket including a book. (happeningnext.com 1) (happeningnext.com 2) Sponsorship is also part of the funding model. Succeed2gether says festival sponsorships start at $1,000, and about 2,000 printed program books will be distributed before and during the event. (succeed2gether.org) For Montclair, the anniversary edition keeps a local arts tradition on the calendar while channeling book-event revenue into student support. The next step is simple: the festival opens Saturday, May 2. (succeed2gether.org)
