FAQs
WHEN AND WHERE IS REGISTRATION/BADGE PICKUP?
Registration is once again at Irish Boat Shop. Here are the days and times:
Thursday, Sept 24 from 1 - 5 pm (Begins at 1pm, not before!)
Friday, Sept 25 from 9am - 5pm
Saturday, Sept 26 from 8:30am - 3:30pm
Sunday, Sept 27 from 9:30 - 10:30 am.
Irish Boat Shop parking lot will not be available at all because of the race. This means there will be no access to any part of their parking lot, including the front door. Fortunately, there are numerous parking lots along Bay Street both to the east and west.
Our golf carts will be available Thursday from 1 – 5 pm and on Friday morning, starting at 9:00 am. This is a great volunteer opportunity for those interested. Check out our volunteer sign-up app and scroll down until you see “Golf Cart Driver.”
FIND YOUR TICKET ORDER.
You should have received an email around July 16th with all your tickets and registration codes. You’ll need to have that email to pick up your name badge. You will also need to show your ticket at any special ticketed events (keynote, cookbook events, workshops). Can't find your order? Use this link. Click on "Manage Tickets" in the upper right corner of the screen. Follow the instructions to view and print your tickets.
SATURDAY PARKING
We strongly encourage you to park at the Harbor Springs High School and use the shuttle or boardwalk. The shuttle (Nub’s Nob bus) will run 8:30 - 10AM, 12 - 1:30PM, 3:30 - 6:00PM. The loop is less than 1-mile, so you’ll never wait long.
WHERE DO I PARK FRIDAY & SUNDAY?
Parking is available throughout downtown Harbor Springs and at the Harbor Springs High School. The Festival offers a Saturday shuttle service from the high school parking lot to various venues. We highly recommend using the shuttle on Saturday. We are sharing “town” with the Melges Sailboat races and town will be extremely busy.
BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE
We do not provide or sell beverages. We will have a water bottle filling station at Irish Boat Shop and we have noted all city water fountains on the festival map. It is going to be a beautiful and WARM weekend. Be prepared.
SPECIAL ACCESSBILITY SEATING. All tents now have designated accessibility seating. The blue chairs with Festival-logo seat-back covers are reserved for attendees with mobility issues and for those who need to sit closer to the front to see and hear more easily. We are using the honor system to ensure these seats are available to those who need them most.
SOUND ENHANCEMENT HEADPHONES will be available in Marina Park Tent only. We will have 16 pairs of headphones to sign out for programs in Marina Park. This is a pilot program for this year.
GOLF CART SHUTTLE will also run on Friday and Saturday along the Bay Street venues. Look for the "Get Shuttle Here" sandwich board for pick-up and drop-off.
OTHER KEY DETAILS
The Lyric Theatre will open at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday for the showing of Snow Falling on Cedars. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the door for $5.
Keynote books will NOT be signed in advance. If you'd like your book(s) signed, you must bring them to the keynote event.
Book sales and Festival merchandise cannot be combined. The bookstore and Festival are two separate entities.
There will be no signed stock of any presenter's book following the Festival.
WILL THERE BE A WAITLIST FOR REGISTRATION & TICKETED EVENTS?
There was but we are no longer taking names as the list is very long and we have moved as many individuals off the list as possible.
WHAT ARE THIS YEAR’S TICKETED EVENTS? Yes, but all events are now SOLD OUT. ooks will be pre-signed. Personalization will be available. Location: Birchwood Farms Golf & Country Club. If you purchase a ticket for this event, we will reach out later this summer regarding your seating and menu preference.
IS THERE A MOVIE OR ILLUSTRATOR WORKSHOPS THIS YEAR?
The movie showing on Thursday, September 24 at 4:00 p.m. is "Snow Falling on Cedars” by presenter, David Guterson, and tickets will be available at the door. David has also agree to do a Q&A following the movie. The illustrators workshops are sold out.
DO YOU HAVE A REFUND OR TRANSFER TICKET POLICY?
Full Refund: Refunds will be issued in full for requests received on or before FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2026. No refunds will be issued after AUGUST 14, 2026. If the event is canceled, all registration and ticket purchases will be refunded in full. After submitting your refund request in writing by email to registration@hsfotb.org, please allow up to five (5) business days for your refund request to be processed.
Transfer to Another Person: You may transfer your registration and ticket(s) to another person. Please submit your request for transfer to registration@hsfotb.org by Friday, August 28, 2026. No transfers will be accepted after August 28, 2026.
Donation: If you are unable to use or transfer your registration or individual event tickets, you may donate them to the Festival. Please submit your request to registration@hsfotb.org by FRIDAY, August 28, 2026.
DO YOU PROVIDE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ATTENDEES? We strive to host an inclusive and accessible Festival. If you require accommodations to fully participate, please contact Jess and let us know how we can support your experience. NEW THIS YEAR - we are testing out a sound enhancement system in the Marina Park Tent. We will have 16 headsets that will be connected directly to the sound system for attendees to use.
WHAT ARE YOUR VENUES?
Our venues include the Performing Arts Center at Harbor Springs High School, Harbor Springs Library, History Museum, Lyric Theatre, Irish Boat Shop, and tents in Marina, Shay, and Zorn Parks. We also host food events at Birchwood Farms Golf & Country Club and The Highlands.
DO YOU USE VOLUNTEERS?
The Festival uses more than 150 volunteers throughout the event weekend. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL OUR SIGN UP GENIUS IS NOW AVAILABLE. If you would like to volunteer for future festivals, please use this link to find more and get on our Volunteer email list.
DO YOU PROVIDE SPACE FOR VENDORS?
NO, we do not offer vendor spaces or exhibit space to authors/vendors.
ARE BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR SALE?
All Festival presenters’ books are available for sale at the Festival’s Pop-Up Bookstore during the Festival event and after each session. The bookstore vendor is Between the Covers, who donates 20% of all session and Pop-Up Bookstore book sales during the Festival weekend back to the Festival.
WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ABOUT LODGING IN THE AREA?
It is never too early to confirm your accommodations. Visit PetoskeyArea.com for information about area lodging. The Highlands, located four miles north of downtown Harbor Springs, is offering a special rate on accommodations the weekend of the Festival. Use the code: BOOKLOVER to receive 10% off your two-night minimum stay! Dates: Friday, September 25 - Sunday, September 27. Click here or call 1-800-GOBOYNE & mention the promo code.
HOW DO I GET TO HARBOR SPRINGS?
Harbor Springs, Michigan, is a beautiful town on Highway 119—on the north shore of Little Traverse Bay, about 1.5 hours from Traverse City, 3 hours from Grand Rapids, and 4.5 hours from Detroit. Pellston Regional Airport, Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, and Chippewa County Airport in Kincheloe are the nearest airports.
HOW DO I SUBMIT MY BOOK TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS FESTIVAL?
The submission deadline for the 2027 Festival is January 1 - 31, 2027. For submission guidelines, please review the Festival criteria here.
I’VE NEVER ATTENDED THE FESTIVAL. WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM LOOK LIKE?
The 2025 Festival Program is available as a PDF here. If you have not attended a previous Festival, viewing the program will show you the Festival schedule and format.