From speakers to signings, bibliophiles were booked solid this Saturday.

This weekend, the Los Angeles Times hosted the Festival of Books at the University of Southern California. The event featured celebrity and author speaker panels, book signings and numerous stands selling books, trinkets and clothes across age groups and genres. Beth Sotelo, a vendor selling her comic book series and related merchandise, said she enjoys the Festival of Books because of the attendees’ enthusiasm for books and interest in learning about new and smaller franchises.

“The people who show up here – they are super interested in seeing new stuff, new stories,” Sotelo said. “That’s really refreshing to see.”

Programming at the Festival of Books ran from 9:55 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. across the Poetry Stage, Children’s Stage, YA Stage, LA Times Stage and LA Times Food Stage. The USC Stage also hosted a variety of performances from different musicians associated with the university.

The first main stage event took place at 10:30 a.m., as author and television personality Lisa Rinna discussed her new book, “You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It,” with LA Times senior television writer Yvonne Villarreal. Rinna said she wrote her book to explore and work through grief surrounding her mother’s death and her tumultuous final year on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” She added that the book’s publication helped her share her true self – outside of the exaggerated television personality she cultivated for years – with the world.

“The character on ‘Housewives’ took over, in a way, and now that she’s gone, I really wanted to get back to just being me again,” Rinna said.

The Festival of Books also hosted panels with Amy Tan, Stacey Abrams and Hayley Kiyoko, among many others. Likewise, the Poetry Stage held readings with Richard Siken, Nicelle Davis and Donika Kelly.

[Related: LA Times Festival of Books ends 2025 chapter with panels on identity, storytelling]

In addition to panels and readings, attendees could peruse a wide selection of vendor booths. Marian Yesufu – a vendor and comic book author – said as a Black woman, she seeks to write, illustrate and publish books with characters that look like her. She added that representation is particularly important in comic books because they are a visual medium like film or photography, and she wants to use this medium to elevate young women and girls. Yesufu said working behind the table allows her to observe the joy of attendees passing by.

Rossana D’Antonio, author and representative of She Writes Press publishing, said she was drawn to the Festival of Books because it is the largest book festival she has attended. She added that attending the Festival inspired her because she witnessed a large number of people interested in reading and engaging with books.

“People want to engage with the authors and have conversations and talk about great storytelling, and I’ve experienced that here in just the few hours that we’ve been here,” D’Antonio said.

At 11:40 a.m., the LA Times Stage hosted actress and author Valerie Bertinelli, who discussed her newest book, “Getting Naked,” alongside themes of love, aging and self-acceptance in conversation with restaurant critic Jenn Harris. Bertinelli said she wanted to write a book about inspiring other people to love themselves but realized teaching other people how to love themselves required her to learn and practice that first. She added that the process of writing her book taught her that vulnerability was an inevitable part of reaching intimacy in relationships, rather than a weakness.

[Related: Book preview: Spring stories explore a swath of debut novels, social commentaries, romance]

Sotelo said her favorite part of the Festival of Books was the positive reception her work received from attendees, compared to comic conventions, where people are more interested in engaging with work they are already familiar with. She added that the experience taught her that creating quality work requires the right audience. Yesufu said her favorite memories from the Festival included connecting with other people about art, such as another artist coming to her booth and sharing her own experiences.

“Any time that somebody comes up and asks you about your book and wants to share in that story – that is the best memory that I could ever take back,” D’Antonio said. “The fact that people are being touched by something that you created is truly amazing.”

Yesufu said she first attended the Festival of Books with her son many years ago and has since become a vendor, accompanied by her young daughter. She added that the generational element of the event has significantly elevated the experience for her and her family, as she is able to watch her daughter engage with the patrons and learn the flow of business and customer service.

“There’s so much to do, so much to see, so many people to listen to and so many good books out there that really deserve to be read,” D’Antonio said.