Photos: Opening day of the 2025 Tucson Festival of Books
The Tucson Festival of Books returned the University of Arizona campus, on March 15-16th.
Established in 2009, the festival has grown exponentially over the years. In its inaugural year, it welcomed around 50,000 attendees and featured approximately 450 authors.
By 2019, attendance had surged to an estimated 140,000, underscoring the festival's significant cultural impact. Despite challenges in recent years, including a virtual format amid the pandemic in 2021, the festival continues to thrive, drawing over 130,000 visitors in 2024, according to longtime volunteer Bill Finley.
Thousands of people gather inside of the University of Arizona campus on day one of Tucson Festival of Books, March 15, 2025. The festival offers the community free and educational fun with live music, autograph sessions, special panels, and plenty of local and non-local makers to shop from. The Festival of Books continues 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Naomi Nguyễn Hernandez paints a ceramic heart inside of the Ben’s Bells tent at Tucson Festival of Books, March 15, 2025.
Guests browse the comic books for sale inside of Fantasy Comics during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Paola Ramos, an author and Emmy-Award winning journalist explains why she wrote her novel “Defectors: The Rise of Latino Far Right and What It Means for America” during the Race, Ethnicity and the Election panel inside of the Gallagher Theater, Tucson Festival of Books, March 15, 2025.
People take a break from the live music, autograph sessions, special panels, and more during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Michael Feather creates a live-painting of the large crowds during Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Furry Feline Creatives has an assortment of prints, handmade plushies, and comics for sale during Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
People browse the selection of books for sale at the University of Arizona Press booth during Tucson Festival of Books, March 15, 2025.
University of Arizona Jazz Ambassadors play during the Tucson Festival of Books, March 15, 2025.
Families enjoy their day inside of the Children’s Village during Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
People browse a selection of rare books from A Good Story Collectible Books during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Brian Shumaker poses for a photo inside of a cacti cut out in the Science section of Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Kids learn about the environment inside of the National Park Service tent during Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Juan Williams, prizewinning journalist and author speaks about his new historic book “New Prize for These Eyes” during the Race, Ethnicity and the Election panel inside of the Gallagher Theater, Tucson Festival of Books, March 15, 2025.
The National Park Service has a big cartoon cacti inside of their booth during Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona, March 15, 2025.
Bookmans provides a large selection of books for guests of the Tucson Festival of Books on March 15.
Grace Trejo
Photojournalist
For the first time in its 17 years, the Tucson Festival of Books will have a clear-bag policy for people attending author panel sessions.