First-Ever Florida Children's Book Festival Comes to Orlando

The two-day event will feature over 30 children's authors and illustrators with panels, live drawing, storytimes, and ticketed performances.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The first Florida Children's Book Festival will take place on February 21-22 at Loch Haven Park in Orlando. The free, two-day event will bring more than 30 children's authors and illustrators to the city for panels, live drawing workshops, storytimes, author signings, a vendor market, and ticketed theatrical performances based on popular children's books.

Why it matters

The festival aims to celebrate diverse children's voices and stories, promote literacy and a love of reading, and provide a platform for established and up-and-coming children's book creators to connect with young readers and their families.

The details

The festival will feature a variety of programming across the two days, including panels on topics like graphic novels, mysteries, and Hispanic/Latino storytelling and identity. There will also be live drawing workshops led by working illustrators, an on-site bookshop, author signings, food trucks, and roaming storytimes. Ticketed theatrical performances include adaptations of the books "Lilly and the Pirates" and "Tiara's Hat Parade".

  • The Florida Children's Book Festival will take place on February 21-22, 2026.
  • The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

The players

Orlando Family Stage

The event venue hosting the first Florida Children's Book Festival.

Writer's Block Bookstore

The local bookstore curating the on-site bookshop at the festival.

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What’s next

Tickets for the ticketed theatrical performances are now available for purchase on the festival's website, floridachildrensbookfestival.com.

The takeaway

The first-ever Florida Children's Book Festival in Orlando promises to be an exciting celebration of children's literature, bringing together authors, illustrators, and young readers for a weekend of panels, performances, and hands-on activities that will inspire a love of reading and storytelling.