The Utah Humanities Book Festival mark 27 years of improving Utah communities through reading. Photo: Utah Humanities

The Wasatch Back Book Festival is part of the Utah Humanities Book Festival. This year the book festival is taking a different approach by making regional book festivals part of the state-wide book festival. This was perfect timing as the Park City Library was thinking about having their own book festival. They joined with Summit County Library and Wasatch County Library to create the Wasatch Back Book Festival with Park City Library hosting most events. Find more in-depth details about Park City Library’s events here.

Monday, Oct. 21, 6 p.m. Mike Finkel Author Lecture & Book Signing at Park City Library

Mike Finkel is a Park City local and his book, The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession, was on the NYT best sellers list!

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m. Ally Condie & Stacie Denetsosie in Midway

Folklore Bookshop is hosting this event as part of Wasatch County Library’s participation in the Wasatch Back Book Festival. They are located at 49 North 200 West #101, Midway, UT 84049. This is a Utah Library of Congress Great Reads from Great Places 2024 author reading and signing. Ally Condie’s book The Unwedding was published in June 2024 and Stacie Denetsosie’s book The Missing Morningstar And Other Stories was published in September 2023.

Thursday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m. A Night with Pam Houston at Kimball Junction Library

Join author Pam Houston at the Kimball Junction Branch of the Summit County Library for a reading, discussion, and book signing. Some of Pam Houston’s books will be available to purchase from Dolly’s Bookstore.

Pam Houston is the author of the memoir Deep Creek: Finding Hope In The High Country, Cowboys Are My Weakness, and Air Mail. Houston teaches in the Creative Writing MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts Creative Writing MFA program, is a Professor of English at UC Davis, and cofounder and creative director of the literary nonprofit Writing By Writers. She lives at nine thousand feet above sea level near the headwaters of the Rio Grande.

Friday, Oct. 25, 6 p.m. Mystery In the Stacks

A Ticketed Interactive Whodunnit Fundraiser for the Friends of the Park City Library with ticket prices ranging from $25 to $40. This event will be held after hours at the Park City Library. Tickets are on sale now.

Saturday, Oct. 26 at Park City Library

Spend an hour or most of the day exploring many facets of books. At 9 a.m. have some pie for breakfast with the community reading their favorite first lines of books. The pie is free and the community is encouraged to purchase beverages from Lucky Ones Coffee. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Park City Library invites everyone to a four-hour immersion in books experience. This is a very family-friendly time to visit. Explore the following activities on the library’s three floors:

Book Craft Extravaganza – Multiple craft stations – bookmarks, origami, make a mini book, etc.
Chat with over 20 local authors and see their current books and what they have in the works.
Papermaking Demonstrations – See how paper is made by hand.
Art of the Book Exhibit – Letterpress printing, book binding, etc. from The Book Arts Program at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Library.
History of the Book Exhibit with Rare Artifacts – The Rare Books Department at the University of Utah’s J. Willar Library is bringing rare artifacts! There might be an original Shakespeare piece.
Puppet Show: Moose on the Loose (at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.) – For children and performed by Park City children and adults – hilarity may ensue!2 p.m. Jack Carr Author Lecture & Book Signing at Park City Library

At 2 p.m. Jack Carr will give a lecture and hold a book signing. He is a Park City local and his fictional book series is always on the NY Times best seller list. His first book The Terminal List was made into a Prime TV show featuring Chris Pratt as the main character! This will likely be a full house event!

Sunday, Oct. 27 at Park City Library

At 1 p.m. join the Kids’ Dinosaur Stomp Party, a pre-party for Julia Lyon’s presentation. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to bring their children to this dinosaur themed event so they can attend the diversity presentation, which is at the same time. The diversity presentation consists of 40 Diverse Children’s Books in 50 Minutes. Librarians will present a speed-round of recommendations – it is a treat to see!

Then together at 2 p.m. see Julia Lyon, who wrote a children’s book about a young girl finding dinosaur books in her backyard. Kids love this engaging speaker who will have a dinosaur noodle-bone craft to do together at the end.