Bookstock 2026 takes place in Woodstock this weekend, May 15, 16, and 17. The literary “Festival of Words” will include author events, masterclasses, a used book tent sale, and several special events. The board, which includes local residents Priscilla Painton, Jon Spector, Michael Stoner, Julie Moncton, and Kari Meutsch will be at the helm of the festival again this year.
Parking for the event will be available at the Ottauquechee Health Center, the Woodstock Rec Center, the Woodstock Elementary School, and at East End Park, according to Stoner.
Festivities begin on Friday with daytime activities on The Green, including the Used Book Sale from 1-5 p.m., and it continues on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. But Bookstock isn’t just for the grown-ups. Little ones are encouraged to come to The Green for face painting, book readings, and crafts. The children’s tent will be open 3-5 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Rare Vintage Book Sale will run throughout the weekend at the Norman Williams Public Library, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. There will also be a sidewalk sale at various shops around Woodstock Village.
Artistree Community Arts Center in South Pomfret will host the official opening event of Bookstock. The evening will start with Artistree’s 14th annual UNBOUND Exhibit, featuring artwork of books, about books, and made from books. Viewers will experience the fascinating world of Artists’ Books, objects with visual narratives and complex constructions that are one-of-a-kind artworks.
Azusa Mihara, gallery coordinator for Artistree, spoke with the Standard about the opening reception. “This is the 14th year that Artistree has presented a book-art exhibit. In the last few years, we have started making this exhibition a little more inclusive — expanding the bounds of what ‘unbound’ truly means.
“We wanted this to be a community gallery where artists from Vermont and New Hampshire gather and share their literary-inspired creations. This exhibit is open to all, and we feel like it is the perfect way to kick off Bookstock,” Mihara added.
After viewing the UNBOUND Exhibit at the Artistree Gallery, some lucky attendees will move to Artistree’s Hayloft for a sold-out conversation with Vermont Book Award winners and finalists. Moderated by Vermont Book Awards director Miciah Bay Gault, the event will feature writers of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and children’s literature.
Stoner assured the Standard that at least one Vermont Book Award winner will be speaking at the opening event — Sasha Hom, who won for her book “Sidework.” “Sasha won the fiction award this year, and we are all so excited to hear her speak about her fantastic and evocative novella. It will be a wonderful way to open Bookstock,” he said.
For a full comprehensive breakdown of Bookstock festivities, please see our May 14 edition of the Vermont Standard.
