A Read-y Good Time

Insider's guide to navigating the Texas Book Festival 2019 in Austin

Temperatures have finally dipped below 90 degrees, H-E-B put out ornamental pumpkin displays weeks ago, and it’s not totally crazy to wear a thin sweater during the daylight. It’s (what passes as) fall in Austin, it’s Texas Book Festival season. (Football, be damned.)

The 2019 Texas Book Festival returns to downtown Austin on October 26-27, and it's free and open to the public. One of the biggest and most prestigious book festivals in the country, this year’s festival promises to be as inspiring, enriching, and lit-tastic as ever, with a seriously stellar lineup of 275-plus authors and exhibitors, including John Grisham, Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Choi, Jericho Brown, Tim O’Brien, Samantha Power, and hundreds of other big names in the literary world.

“The Texas Book Festival is a large, free festival celebrating books and the people who love reading," says TBF development director Claire Burrows. "There is something for everyone, from Austin‘s own barbecue connoisseur Aaron Franklin to debut novelist Fernando Flores, from poet and memoirist Saeed Jones to bestselling YA author Rainbow Rowell, and Kids on Congress for the whole family. It’s a festival that reflects the exciting and unique culture of Texas.”

Time to text fellow book club members, print out the festival schedule, and start creating a Google spreadsheet with all those must-see authors (or is that just us?). Here's a handy guide to get you started.

Do your homework.
The Texas Book Festival isn’t unlike ACL Music Festival — if writers were rock stars, that is. Like ACL, it helps to look at the lineup and a map of the grounds before getting to the Texas Capitol grounds. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting lost in the boisterous crowds of bookworms swarming the Capitol, wielding their hardcovers like armor. Take a look at the How to Attend the Festival page to find info on parking, maps, walk-in points, venues and rules, and virtually everything else to know pre-festival. And here’s the link to the full schedule, complete with a printable PDF version.

Get to sessions early.
Don’t be the person who gets to sessions 20 minutes late, sweaty and panting. Not only will you not be able to snag a seat, but this is disruptive to the authors. It pays to get there not just on time, but early.

Bring the kiddos.
The festival’s children’s and YA programming, Kids on Congress, is always excellent, so be sure to bring the youngster book lovers along. Here’s a look at some of this year’s kid-friendly highlights, including author talks, bilingual story times, and an appearance from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who wrote a picture book called Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You (note that space is limited for this event).

Don’t skip out on Lit Crawl.
Lit Crawl is your best chance meet writers, get a little tipsy, and compete in all kinds of crazy, hilarious, literary-themed party games and trivia matches ... what’s not to love? The crawl is held in various locations throughout the Red River Cultural District this year, and events include the Literary Death Match, Noir at the Bar (a round of noir readings by crime fiction authors, hosted by MysteryPeople), Chicon Street Poets, and the always killer Lit Crawl Against Humanity (of the latter, the TBF website says “Prepare to be shocked, disgusted, and amused”).

Buy books and get them signed.
All books by festival authors are available for purchase in one of the BookPeople Sales Tents, and book sales fund TBF’s awesome programming, such as its Library Grants initiative and Reading Rock Stars program. So in short — buy all the books. Also, note that authors will sign books in either the Main Signing Tent or the Children’s Signing Tent directly after their sessions. Just be sure to take a look at the guidelines before getting a book signed.

books downtown texas festivals

Aerie in the sky

Nature-inspired hotel checks into Texas' tallest tower in Austin

Photo by Chase Daniel

Rooms at 1 Hotel Austin settle in simple and natural design.

A luxury hotel chain is checking into Austin, adding the Texas capital to a cohort of a dozen North American cities. Called 1 Hotel Austin, the 252-room stay is designed to blend with nature and tap into sustainable hospitality in the new Waterline building — the tallest tower in Texas. Reservations are open now for the hotel, opening in August.

A press release explains that 1 Hotel Austin looks at its surroundings where Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake meet "through a contemporary, biophilic lens." Designers used natural materials, textures, and transitions from inside to outside — like balconies and terraces with plants, or floor-to-ceiling windows — to create a feeling of connecting with the natural world.

Foodies may already know that a highly regarded restaurant from Denver is moving in as the hotel's signature restaurant. Called Alteño Austin, the concept by Chef Johnny Curiel shows off cuisine from the Highlands of Jalisco, where he has a family connection.

$Alte\u00f1o Austin$ Alteño currently only has one location — the original — in Denver, Colorado, and one more on the way in Charleston, South Carolina.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

“There’s a respect for tradition in the way [Chef Curiel] cooks, but also a willingness to reinterpret it, and that balance is what makes his food so compelling," said Nicholas Demasi, senior vice president of food and beverage at Starwood Hotels, in the release.

There will also be two other food and beverage concepts: Watr, a "Japanese-leaning" rooftop restaurant and lounge designed to entertain guests from day to night, and Neighbors, a café and wine bar that can be accessed from the lobby and the street for coffee, juice, small plates, draft cocktails, and more, depending on the time of day.

1 Hotel Austin rooftoop Watr This rooftop restaurant will serve a Japanese-inspired menu.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

Focusing more on the amenities than the rooms, which include 60 luxury suites, the release draws attention to the building's proximity to the Rainey Street District and downtown, making both day and night activities easily accessible. Guests also have a direct connection to the more outdoorsy portion of town via the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail around the lake.

Wellness amenities include a run club, sound baths, a 2,000-square-foot fitness center, and a yoga studio. Bamford Wellness Spa will operate a space offering retail and treatments, including couples' experiences. The spa claims inspiration through Hill Country bathhouses, placing a premium on simplicity and restoration.

1 Hotel Austin guest bath This guest bath is spa-like with a dramatic view.Photo by Chase Daniel

The hotel is working on its LEED Gold certification, which would verify that the property has earned certain credits in materials, energy, waste management, and more. Gold is the second highest certification. Sustainability initiatives at the hotel will include adopting waste reduction practices for hosted events, supplying reusable in-room glassware, and introducing travelers to the 1 Less Thing program, which encourages them to leave behind a piece of gently used clothing to donate to a local organization.

“I’ve long admired Austin for its creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit,” says Barry Sternlicht, founder of 1 Hotels and chairman of Starwood Hotels. “It’s a place where innovation thrives alongside a deep respect for the environment and community. Even as the city continues to grow and evolve, it has managed to balance progress with preservation."

1 Hotels Austin entrance The dramatic entrance exemplifies the transitional design from inside the building to nature outside.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

1 Hotel Austin is located at 96 Red River St., Austin. Reservations are open now at 1hotels.com. Available August room rates are currently discounted and start at $377.

hotels openings sustainability nature