Calling All Book Lovers: Check out the 2nd Annual Bainbridge Book Festival this Weekend in Downtown Winslow, Plus BIMA’s Earshot Jazz Festival!

Downtown Winslow will be filled with hundreds of readers on Friday night, October 10 and all-day Saturday, October 11 as the Island enjoys the second annual Bainbridge Book Festival.

“We couldn’t be more excited about our lineup of more than 20 regional and national writers” says Book Festival chair Jane Danielson. “This is a wonderful opportunity for book lovers to see some of their favorites or find new ones. It’s special to be able to hear someone’s words come alive at the festival, to be able to ask them questions, and to hear what’s they have coming next.”

The Bainbridge Book Festival was inspired by renowned book festivals nationwide, including those in Portland, Chicago, and Savannah, GA. It will feature readings and panel discussions by well-known authors from the Pacific Northwest and across the United States. The festival aims to bring together readers, writers, and book lovers for the love of books and the scenic beauty of Bainbridge Island.

On Friday night, the festival kicks off with Islander David Guterson, author of “Snow Falling on Cedars” and other tomes, interviewing author Karen Russell at 7 p.m. at the Stan Pocock Rowing Center at Waterfront Park. This is the only ticketed event of the festival, as all 15 sessions on Saturday are free. Tickets for Friday night are available at https://www.bainbridgebookfestival.org/keynote-event-tickets.

Russell is the acclaimed author of New York Times best seller “Swamplandia”. Her new novel “Antidote,” is one of 10 works of fiction under consideration for the National Book Award. It is a dust bowl epic about five characters whose fates become entangled after a storm ravages their small Nebraskan town.

Saturday will feature 15 sessions crossing multiple genres and subjects, including literary fiction, romance, mystery, history, food and nature. The 15 separate panels
will roll out from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., across three venues— The Stan Pocock Rowing Center, Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, and the Bainbridge Island Senior Center. You can get more information by following this link: https://www.bainbridgebookfestival.org/2025-festival-schedule/

The nonprofit Bainbridge Book Festival and its coordinator Maddie Mulligan have benefited from a close partnership with Eagle Harbor Books and its co-owner Jane Danielson. Danielson and fellow Festival board members Darlene Kordonowy, Grant Dull, Gretchen Gende and David Harrison believe that a weekend filled with books and authors fills a critical cultural niche for the Island and Kitsap County.

On the lawn outside the Rowing Center will be seven exhibitors. Authors will be available after each session to sign their books. For additional information, contact Maddie Mulligan at info@bainbridgebookfestival.org

Event Details:

• Dates: October 10-11, 2025
• Location: Stan Pocock Rowing Center, Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, and the Bainbridge Island Senior Center
• Admission: Festival Saturday is free and open to all. (Friday session is ticketed. See above link).

Separately and ongoing is the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) Earshot Jazz Festival, an annual festival that has already begun and will carry through to the end of October.

“BIMA is proud to partner once again with Seattle’s Earshot Jazz as part of the most prestigious jazz festival in the Pacific Northwest,” says Sade’ Monique McInnis, the recently appointed Director of BIMA Events. “Earshot Jazz dedicates itself year-round to cultivating a vibrant, diverse jazz community—championing artistic innovation, honoring the rich history and integrity of the genre, and fostering meaningful connections between musicians and audiences. The BIMA Annual Within/Earshot Jazz Festival is more than a concert series—it’s a dynamic, living conversation where sound, story, and visual art intersect.”

Within/Earshot Jazz Festival 2025 – Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Source Materials: Bainbridge Book Festival and the Oatmeal Club of Bainbridge Island.

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