Ninety Arizona authors, a lineup of food trucks, and a free book giveaway are headed to the Holland Community Center on October 17 as the Desert Foothills Book Festival marks its fifth year in Scottsdale. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is free for readers of all ages, and will hand out a free book and gift box to the first 100 attendees who show up.
The festival is held in partnership with the Desert Foothills Public Library, and this year's lineup includes about 46% new authors who haven't appeared at the event before, according to 12News. Caren Cantrell, a children's author who chairs the festival, said the event's growth has allowed organizers to channel more funding into youth literacy programs. The festival also includes food trucks and raffles, with net proceeds from raffle ticket sales going directly to support those same local literacy efforts.
A Grassroots Fix for a Statewide Reading Gap
The festival began in 2022 when local writers set out to connect North Valley readers with Arizona authors, filling what organizers saw as a gap between the Tucson Book Festival to the south and the Payson and Prescott festivals to the north, according to the Desert Foothills Book Festival. The 2025 fourth annual event featured Arizona authors at the Holland Community Center, and the festival's growth has helped channel more funding into local youth literacy programs.
That expansion matters because Arizona's reading numbers tell a sobering story. KTAR reports that 36% of Arizona third graders read proficiently, a five-point drop over the past two years. The Scottsdale festival is one local effort supporting youth literacy.
State Lawmakers Set an Ambitious 2030 Target
State leaders have set a statewide goal of doubling third-grade reading proficiency to 72%, with evidence-based curriculum and literacy coaches among the strategies, according to KTAR News.
What Families Can Expect on Festival Day
For kids, the festival's Creative Kids — Tell Me a Story program teaches children ages 8 through 10 how to build a book from start to finish, with printed copies of the finished children's books provided to participants, reports 12News. Attendees can also meet local authors, browse new releases, and connect with other readers throughout the day. The subscription book service Once Upon a Book Club donated the free books and gift boxes being handed out to the festival's first 100 attendees.
Hungry visitors can find food at the festival, according to Visit Phoenix. The festival celebrates several communities, the Daily Independent reports.
The Non-Profit Backbone Behind the Festival
Co-host The Holland Center, formerly known as the Foothills Community Foundation, operates as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit funded entirely through private donations without government support. The center provides community enrichment programs across North Scottsdale, Cave Creek, and Carefree.
Co-host Desert Foothills Library, founded in 1954, operates as Arizona's only independent non-profit public library, according to Charity Navigator.
