The Detroit Festival of Books, aka: Detroit Bookfest, is a FREE annual in-person event at the historic Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan.
Detroit Bookfest is the largest book festival in the state of Michigan. Detroit Bookfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Over 250+ vendors from all over the USA & Canada are selling books (and other items including vinyl records, comic books, creative arts, and more) at Bookfest. Up to 20,000 attendees come from all over the USA, Canada, and other countries.
Activities include: hands-on projects for children, DJ playing funk music, variety of street performers, concert ticket giveaways, live on-site television programming, all sorts of different pop-ups and more.
This event is part of a larger scope project called “Book-cation Weekend” featuring authors talks at the Detroit Public Library on Friday, a self-driving regional tour of over 75+ bookstores on Saturday, and our main event, Detroit Bookfest, on Sunday.
The interactive directory and Bookfest Map of Vendors was created by Detroit’s own computer whiz, Sean Snyder.
And don’t forget to join us on Sunday for the Official Bookfest Afterparty from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Detroit City Distillery on Riopelle Street. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate.
We look forward to seeing everyone at Bookfest! Please check out the Guide below. If you have any further questions, please contact us here.
Thank you!
2025 Featured Attractions
Here is just a sample of the amazing people and fun activities you will find at Detroit Festival of Books this year.
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This is a sampling of some of the amazing people and things to do at Bookfest!
- DJ Seven Whales will be providing the vibes.
- Debbie Maciolek will be documenting the experience with her keen and perceptive eye.
- Food trucks such as Sonny’s Hamburgers and Tacos Hernandez and more will be located along Alfred Street, south of Shed 5, between Russell and Riopelle streets.
- Bev’s Bagels will be selling tasty bagels and breakfast sandwiches. (will probably be set up by 7am and open for business).
- Char’latte Coffee Company: Two Metro Detroit sisters are bringing their Mobile Coffee Cart to Detroit Bookfest! (also set up by 7am and ready for business).
- The Detroit Institute of Arts will be doing hands-on activities for children in the DTE Plaza.
- PBS Books & Michigan Humanities will be doing live broadcasting.
- The Michigan Science Center will be doing a STEM pop-up for kids.
- Birdie’s Bookmobile will be in the DTE Plaza outside Shed 5. Please donate your gently used kids books to Birdie’s during Bookfest! You can place them in one of the bins strategically placed around the market.
- Brilliant Detroit will be in the DTE Plaza on the westside of Shed 5, along Russell Street
- Visit Detroit (the city’s main tourism bureau) will have their D-Rover van outside Shed 5.
- Deon Forrest (aka: Greektown Hotbox) Detroit’s own world-famous street performer will be live on Alfred Street.
- Arts & Scraps is bringing their ScrapMobile to Bookfest! Kids will be able to build their own books here!
- Classic cars like Mel Guthrie’s Batmobile and Joe Waterman’s one of a kind 1960 Chevy Impala will be on display.
- The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters (MRCC) will have their 65 foot long trailer in the Shed 5 parking lot. This is a hands-on mobile exploratorium for kids.
- 826michigan will be in the DTE Plaza outside Shed 5.
- Pong Detroit, the ping-pong social club, will be wheeling some ping-pong tables over to Bookfest!
- Detroit artist Rachel Quinlan creates artwork for Detroit Bookfest
And more!
2025 Featured Attractions
Exploring Eastern Market
We encourage you to make a day of it and explore the entire Eastern Market district, which is packed with hundreds of fun shops, restaurants, and experiences.
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What is Eastern Market?
The phrase “Eastern Market” refers to both the large district/neighborhood and also the series of Sheds owned by the city of Detroit and run by the Eastern Market Partnership non-profit organization.
Opened in 1891, Eastern Market is the largest historic public market in the United States. Featuring 43 acres of space, Eastern Market is comprised of a series of indoor and outdoor sheds which function as thriving year-round consumer markets.
Eastern Market District Attractions
We encourage you to make a day of it and explore the entire Eastern Market district, which is packed with hundreds of fun shops, restaurants, and experiences.
Pong Detroit
Pong Detroit is an afterhours ping pong social club located inside Bert’s Warehouse, in the heart of Eastern Market.
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2739 Russell St
Detroit, MI 48207This afterhours ping-pong social club is located inside Bert’s Warehouse. It is the brainchild of former Honolulu-based radio DJ, and pong enthusiast, Mal Lang. Their slogan is “unplug and play.”
Mal says, “Soccer is # 1 and table tennis is the # 2 participant sport in world. Table tennis is huge in China, India, Europe (especially Sweden & Germany).”
Bert’s Warehouse also features a comedy club, kitchen, and bar, so you can drink and pong all night long.
Midnight Temple
Midnight Temple is a wonderful Indian restaurant located just south of Eastern Market’s sheds.
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2466 Riopelle St.
Detroit, MI 48207Midnight Temple is a wonderful Indian restaurant on Riopelle Street, located upstairs from Detroit City Distillery.
HINT: Try the tandoori wings and gobi rollup!
Eastern Market Brewing Company
Eastern Market Brewing Company is a local brewery just steps from Eastern Market’s sheds.
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2515 Riopelle St
Detroit, MI 48207Located three blocks southeast of Shed 5, Eastern Market Brewing Company (EMBC) is one of many fun spots in the Eastern Market district.
The Eastern (event venue)
The Eastern is a lovely 5,000-square foot event space located just north of Eastern Market’s sheds.
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3434 Russell St
Detroit, MI 48207The Eastern is a lovely 5,000-square foot industrial space you can rent out for special events. Built in 1888, this is the old Hook and Ladder # 5 fire station. The Eastern has capacity for 300 seated or 600+ strolling attendees, and a 3,000 square foot outdoor patio.
Detroit City Distillery
Detroit City Distillery (DCD)’s tap room features a lively vibe, music, and cocktails located just south of Eastern Market’s sheds.
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2462 Riopelle St
Detroit, MI 48207The DCD taproom on Riopelle has a fun, lively vibe, featuring music, cocktails. They also serve food from Midnight Temple, the Indian gastropub located above DCD.
HINT: Try the tandoori wings and gobi rollup!
Dyno Indoor Climbing Gym
Dyno is an indoor climbing gym a few blocks northeast of Eastern Market’s sheds.
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3500 Orleans St
Detroit, MI 48207This place is really cool! Inside you will find 12-15 foot tall boulders and a 49 foot tall rope section. You can get a day pass, punch pass, or membership. Climbers must be over 4 years old and you have to be over 16 years old to belay.
Lexus Velodrome
Indoor bicycle track near the NW edge of the Eastern Market District.
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601 Mack Ave
Detroit, MI 48201Located on the NW edge of the Eastern Market district, this is also another really cool place!
Inside the 64,000 square foot dome you will find an indoor wooden bicycle track. Bicyclists beware, you can go up to 50mph on your bicycle inside here!
The Dequindre Cut
The Dequindre Cut is a lovely walking, biking, jogging greenway, just a few steps east of Eastern Market’s sheds.
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Closest entrance to Eastern Market:
3017 Orleans St
Detroit, MI 48207
(approximate, for mapping purposes)“The Cut,” as it’s called is a lovely greenway/urban recreational pathway for walking, biking, jogging. It is 2-miles long and runs from the Detroit Riverfront to the northern tip of Eastern Market.
Near the Wilkins/Orleans entrance, you can find the Freight Yard Bar, this is an outdoor bar made out of shipping containers. To get to the bar: Enter at Orleans St & Wilkins St, walk down to the Cut, make a right, then it’s down on your left.
That’s not everything in Eastern Market…
The above is merely a small sampling of some of the fun and exciting things you can do. Be sure to explore the entire district and enjoy your experience in Detroit!
