BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Book Festival is returning to downtown Baton Rouge this fall.

The twenty-second annual event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31 and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the State Library of Louisiana, Capitol Park Museum and the surrounding Capitol Park area. Around 20,000 people from across the state and country attend each year.

"There's no better showcase of Louisiana's rich literary heritage than the Book Festival," said Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. "Every fall, the streets around the State Capitol fill with book lovers from across the state and beyond, drawn by an outstanding lineup of acclaimed authors and programs."

"It truly is a celebration of the culture, storytelling and creativity that make Louisiana like nowhere else," Nungesser said. "Whether you're a lifelong reader, an aspiring writer or introducing a child to the joy of books, there's something for everyone. We can't wait to welcome everyone to an experience for readers of every age that ranks among the very best in the nation."

Around 150 featured writers will take part in the festival, covering genres including biography, action and adventure, thriller and suspense, politics, science fiction, fantasy, history, true crime, mystery and cookbooks. Writers will participate in book talks, panels and signings throughout the day.

The full author lineup for the festival will be announced in the coming weeks.

The event will also feature more than 100 exhibitors including publishers, authors, libraries and related vendors. The Young Readers' Pavilion will include children's authors, crafts, facepainting and balloon animals.

Teens will have the chance to meet Young Adult authors and take part in crafts and other activities at the Teen HQ. On Oct. 30, the day before the festival, WordShops will return — writing workshops led by noted authors.

"Every reader can find something to love at the Louisiana Book Festival," said Executive Director Robert Wilson. "But the real magic is the access. It's not every day you get to chat face-to-face with a favorite writer or get a book signed. We can't wait to welcome book lovers from all over the country back to the streets of downtown Baton Rouge this Halloween."

This year, visual artist and writer Malaika Favorite created the festival's official artwork, a piece titled Path to Enlightenment. The design incorporates the first major work of each Louisiana Writer Award recipient.

"My vision for the cover design was to create a scene of enlightenment, emphasizing the idea that books lead us to knowledge about ourselves and our world," said Favorite. "I believe that events like the Louisiana Book Festival offer a break from the mundane and invite visitors to experience paths to illumination and discovery."

"I placed several of the books on floating islands that steer the reader towards adventure," Favorite said. "Some of the books are placed in trees that float up to accentuate mental and spiritual growth. The central image is an open portal with stairs leading to a tree of knowledge with an open door at the base."

Favorite is also a past featured author at the festival. Path to Enlightenment will appear on a special commemorative poster and promotional materials.

Full details, the writer roster, program schedule and exhibitor information will be posted at LouisianaBookFestival.org in the coming weeks.