Exhibitor Information
Festival Exhibitors
The Louisiana Book Festival is a free celebration of readers, writers, and their books! It's a wonderful opportunity for authors, booksellers, publishers, scholarly programs, and other literary-related businesses and organizations to showcase their products and services to thousands of book lovers.
To see exhibitors who are participating this year, please go to this page: Exhibiting Authors, etc
Please note! Authors who participate as exhibitors are exhibiting authors, distinct from the featured authors who are invited to participate in the festival. Exhibiting authors' listings and locations will be in the Exhibitor section of the website and program. For selection criteria for featured authors, please refer to the Selection Criteria page.
If you are interested in being added to the exhibitor mailing list, please email the Exhibits Coordinator.
Exhibitor Spaces & Pricing
Booths are 10'x10' pipe-and-drape spaces located within exhibitor tents on N. 4th Street between the State Library of Louisiana and the Capitol Park Museum. Booth packages include one eight-foot draped table, two chairs, a sign, and a wastepaper bin. Discounted rates are available for nonprofit organizations with proof of nonprofit status (501(C)3 status certificate). Pricing for booth spaces ranges from $400-550, depending on the registration period and nonprofit status.
Minibooth spaces are 8'x6' pipe-and-drape spaces located within exhibitor tents on N. 4th Street between the State Library of Louisiana and the Capitol Park Museum. Minibooth packages include one six-foot draped table, two chairs, a sign, and a wastepaper bin. Pricing for minibooth spaces ranges from $325-375, depending on the registration period.
Exhibitor Row spaces are external tables located along the west walkway between Spanish Town Road and the State Capitol or in front of the Capitol Park Museum. Exhibitors' Row packages include one six-foot draped table, two chairs, a sign, and a wastepaper bin. Pricing for Exhibitors' Row spaces ranges from $125-175, depending on the registration period. Please note that these external tables are vulnerable to weather, hence the lower pricing.
See the map below for Exhibitors' Row locations.
Exhibitor Registration
Please read the FAQs below if you register; they contain a lot of important information!
Please note! By registering to participate as an exhibitor in the Louisiana Book Festival, exhibitors agree to abide by the Exhibitor Terms & Conditions. No registrations will be accepted after September 29.
Registration Period | Dates | Booth | Nonprofit* | Minibooth | Exhibitors' Row |
Early Registration | Jul 15-21 | $450 | $400 | $325 | $125 |
Standard Registration | Jul 22-Sep 15 | $500 | $450 | $350 | $150 |
Late Registration | Sep 16-29 | $550 | $500 | $375 | $175 |
*Nonprofit price for first booth only; any additional booths are at regular price.
Register Now online to pay by credit card.
Note: The online order will show "Store pickup" for your registration, but you don't have to pick anything up! It will all be set up and ready for you the morning of the festival. Also, the system will automatically send a receipt, so check the email you used to register when you're done.
If you would rather pay by check or money order, please contact the Exhibits Coordinator.
In order to receive a refund (less a processing fee), exhibitors must cancel in writing to lbfexhibitor@state.lib.la.us before midnight on the Sunday four weeks before the festival. (For example, if the festival falls on Saturday, November 2, cancellation must be received by Sunday, October 6.)
No refunds or credits are given past the deadline or in the event of poor weather or other unfavorable conditions that result in lower than anticipated attendance but do not cause cancellation of the festival.
For more details, see the Exhibitor Terms & Conditions link above.
Louisiana Sales Tax
Exhibitors who will be selling items need to register for a free Louisiana sales tax account number, even if you are from out of state. For information regarding fairs and festivals, please go to this Department of Revenue web page. For the Louisiana sales tax account number, you may apply for an account number online, or you can download the paper form. Please direct any questions to the contact given on the Department of Revenue Fairs and Festivals page; we cannot answer questions about their process, requirements, or how to apply for an account number!
FAQs
Arrival and set-up is from 7-9am and exhibitor operating hours are 9am-4pm. Exhibitors agree to occupy their spaces for the full day of the festival, until 4pm.
We estimate attendance to be around 15,000.
For the sign that we provide, you should put your name and/or the name of your book or business. Keep in mind the size is limited, so the more words you add, the smaller the font will be. You can bring your own sign as long as it fits within the footprint of your space and doesn't block your neighboring exhibitors' airflow or sight lines.
- New for 2024 - you do not have to check in at the Exhibitor Registration tents!
- For exhibitors in tents and sponsors, you can pull in past the barriers on North Street and N. 4th Street to unload. Please move your vehicle as quickly as possible.
- For exhibitors on Exhibitors' Row, you can park in your designated area and unload at your leisure.
- All locations, set up in your appointed space and we will bring your packet to you. You will receive instructions prior to the festival via email telling you where to park and where your space is located.
- We provide some dollies to transport items when you unload but they are in constant use so if you have a small one, consider bringing it.
Casual but neat. No inappropriate slogans or logos (as determined by the Louisiana Book Festival). Wear comfortable shoes. Dress in layers (it tends to be cold in the morning then warms up as the day progresses). Sunglasses and possibly sunscreen and a hat in case you are seated in a sunny spot.
- Keep good records!
- Have contact information handy for follow-up sales or questions, on business cards and your receipts.
- Wrap items, if necessary.
- Pay city and parish taxes using the forms provided at registration. Register with the state of Louisiana for a state tax ID number.
- Lots of energy!
- A cell phone and/or tablet, for communication and calculating sales.
- Phone numbers of all staff or volunteers working your space.
- Change for cash sales.
- A sufficient amount of your work to sell.
- A camera to take pictures of your space for your newsletter/Facebook post/Instagram/mom.
- An umbrella or shade is allowed as long as it does not penetrate the ground or extend into the walkway. DO NOT bring a pop-up or canopy tent.
- Pop-up tents or canopies are not allowed. Free-standing umbrellas are allowed as long as they don't extend into the walkway. Nothing that pierces the ground is allowed.
- Wi-Fi is not guaranteed along Exhibitors' Row, if you are using something like Square® for sales.
- We provide complimentary bottled water to exhibitors throughout the day, available at Concessions with provided nametag.
- Be a good neighbor! Be mindful of your fellow exhibitors and do your best to keep your noise level - your own and that surrounding your space - reasonable. Likewise with airflow and sight lines; please be considerate of your neighbors.
- The festival is always scheduled on an LSU bye week so there are often other events happening in downtown Baton Rouge. Please check traffic before heading to the festival and before leaving.
- Exhibitors' Row spaces are assigned in a first come-first served manner, so the earlier you register, the more favorable your placement will be. Keep in mind that Exhibitors' Row tables are exterior, which means they are vulnerable to the weather: hot, cold, rainy, etc. We do our best to make alternate arrangements in case of predicted rainy weather but we are limited in our options. Please be aware of this and understand that this is the nature of an exterior space and why they are less expensive.
- Overall, please show patience and kindness to your fellow exhibitors as well as festival attendees!
More Questions?
Please contact our Exhibits Coordinator at lbfexhibitor@state.lib.la.us.
Join us!
If you have something book-related to share, consider becoming an exhibitor!
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