Wednesday, June 18, 2025
The Gold Coast Book Fair is returning this month for its second annual celebration of literature, learning and community — and this time it’s bigger, bolder and even more family-friendly.
Spanning three days, May 16 to 18, the festival will once again take place on the LIU Post campus and in downtown Oyster Bay, bringing more than 100 authors, expanded children’s programming, interactive panels and a headline appearance at the college by Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow.
The event is the brainchild of former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, owner of Theodore’s Books, in Oyster Bay, and founder of the Gold Coast Forum, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to educating people about the importance of books and literature.
Planning for this year’s fair began just days after last year’s event wrapped up — “when things were fresh on our minds,” Israel wrote in an email. “We invited input from participants and authors, and incorporated many ideas into our planning.”
The result is a festival that expanded not only in size but also in mission. From nationally known speakers to new local voices and a robust street-fair atmosphere, the weekend aims to celebrate literature while stimulating economic and cultural growth in the area.
“As an author who appeared at many book festivals around the country, I learned that they not only celebrate reading, but inject economic opportunity into the community,” Israel wrote. “Restaurants and coffee shops fill up, vendors sell their goods at our street fair, money fills pockets. And all based on books and literature.”
Julie Wernersbach, the event’s technical director and a veteran organizers of similar ones like the Texas Book Festival, said the Gold Coast fair has seen enormous growth since its debut. The number of participating authors grew from 75 last year to around 100 this year.
Wernersbach said that was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to important changes. One of the most important differences from last year is the increased focus on children’s and family experiences.
“One of the big changes we made this year was really building out our kids’ section, our Kids Zone,” Wernersbach said. “Both (full) days of the fair, we have large areas dedicated to children’s programming and activities.”
The Kids Zone will include everything from bounce houses to craft stations, a graphic novel creation station, and a children’s author pavilion featuring Long Island writers.
Chernow, the author of iconic biographies like “Hamilton” and “Grant,” will discuss his newest work, “Mark Twain,” on May 16.
The May 17 programming at LIU Post includes panel discussions, signings and readings for those of all ages. Finally, on May 18, the celebration will move to downtown Oyster Bay, where Theodore’s Books sits at the center of a transformed main street bustling with author events, food vendors and independent merchants.
“It feels like a homecoming, and the street fair vibe is really fun,” Wernersbach said. “So you can expect plenty of vendors both days, lots of authors, lots of panels, lots of book signings, and lots of books.”
In addition to returning programming at local businesses, Wernersbach said, the festival is expanding its footprint. “This year we’re also adding an outdoor tent on Audrey Avenue, and a new venue in a cute little courtyard,” she said. “We’re using more of the beautiful outdoor spaces in downtown Oyster Bay.”
The festival’s lineup includes a Sunday conversation between actress Lili Taylor and journalist David Gessner, moderated by a representative of the Nature Conservancy. The discussion will center on Taylor’s and Geffner’s shared passion for bird watching.
Another highly anticipated feature is a tribute to bestselling novelist Nelson DeMille, who died last September.
The Gold Coast Forum, which organizes the book fair and similar events, is a product of Israel’s vision of expanding the community-building mission of Theodore’s Books.
“The book is essential to democracy,” he wrote. “Whether you’re on the right, left or in between, you probably sense a rising intensity and anger in our politics. We’re on hair trigger, pushed by social media algorithms and sound bites. The antidote is a book.”
Wernersbach echoed that sentiment, noting that the fair’s goal is “to really encourage conversation and discussion and literary culture on Long Island.”
“This large-scale event isn’t cheap to put on,” she added. “The funds that are raised go directly into paying for every supply, paying for staff, paying for all the different pieces that are needed.”
Still, the investment benefits more than just authors and attendees. Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino lauded the event in a public statement on May 1 for its positive impact on the community.
“This fun and informative book fair is the largest literary event on Long Island, featuring something for book lovers of all ages,” Saladino wrote. “Featuring various events on the town’s north shore, including at LIU Post, and on the streets of downtown Oyster Bay, the Gold Coast Book Fair provides readers with endless activities.”
From planning and publisher outreach to forming local programming committees, the fair has been a yearlong labor of love for Wernersbach and her team.
“I wake up in the morning, I open my laptop, I start working and I do that till I go to sleep,” she said. “We’re working around the clock to make sure that every walker has information they need, every venue, every volunteer — that everybody is informed.”
More information and a full schedule can be found at GoldCoastBookForum.com.
