Grayslake AuthorFest 2025 to feature more than 50 authors, poets, vendors

GRAYSLAKE – Area book enthusiasts and wordsmiths of all ages are invited to make their way to the third annual Grayslake AuthorFest on Saturday, June 21, in downtown Grayslake.

Grayslake AuthorFest is a free, one-day event bringing together readers and aspiring writers. There will be more than 50 featured authors, poets and vendors for book signings and sales, panels, writing workshops, spoken word performances and other bookish activities.

Founded by writers from Lake and McHenry counties, the festival is set to run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities will be centered at the Grayslake Heritage Center & Museum, located at 164 Hawley St., Grayslake. Public Parking Lot B and North Whitney Street from its intersection with Hawley Street to the Whitney Diner will be closed to vehicle traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Grayslake AuthorFest has grown consistently year-over-year,” co-founder Alexa Zoellner said in a news release. “Every time I look at how far we’ve come from the initial concept we started with in late 2022, I’m amazed and also incredibly proud. So much has gone into making Grayslake AuthorFest what it is today.”

Zoellner and her fellow co-founders, Zee Lacson and Melanie Francisco, work with individuals, organizations and businesses throughout the village to make Grayslake AuthorFest happen.

“We are lucky to receive the kind of support that we do,” Lacson said in the release. “People want this to succeed – not just for the writing community, but for everyone – and they’ve stepped up to help make sure that happens.”

The Grayslake Arts Alliance, Grayslake Area Public Library, Grayslake Heritage Center & Museum, This Old Book, Noote Partners x Compass Real Estate, Bake Share and Voices of Lake County are this year’s sponsors.

“Grayslake AuthorFest 2025 boasts the largest number of featured authors to date and the event schedule is bursting with fun things to do,” Lacson said.

Book sales and signings will take place during the entire event, as will vendor sales, she said. Additionally, the Grayslake Heritage Center & Museum galleries will be open and a poetry walk – presented by the Grayslake Arts Alliance’s Writer’s Group – will be viewable throughout the village’s downtown.

Three author panels will be held in the Heritage Center & Museum community room. The panels are “Exploring Genres” from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., “Publishing Options” from 1:45 to 2:30 p.m. and “Young Adult vs. New Adult” from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m.

Panels are free to attend, but seating inside is limited, said Zoellner, who will be the moderator.

Several local poets are set to participate in an hourlong poetry and spoken word reading emceed by Kristal Larson, executive director of LGBTQ+ Center Lake County. Readings begin at 11:30 a.m.

Starting at noon, attendees can partake in free activities such as a caricature artist, making their own wood or leather bookmarks, using magnetic poetry boards and a photo booth. Typewriter poetry will join the lineup at 2 p.m.

Voices of Lake County will offer an erasure poetry workshop inside from 12:45 to 1:30 p.m. All interested poets are invited to read their work during the 30-minute open mic session.

This Old Book will host a youth creative writing workshop outside from 2 to 3 p.m., after which the bookstore’s Youth Creative Writing Contest finalists’ works will be read aloud.

“All in all, it’s shaping up to be a really exciting day,” Francisco said in the release. “We’re so lucky to have great partners and an enthusiastic and welcoming community. I cannot gush enough about everyone who keeps coming back year after year with their support.”

Information and event updates can be found on the Grayslake AuthorFest Facebook page, Instagram page and the Grayslake AuthorFest 2025 event page.