Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl
Saturday, September 13, 2025
About the Event
The 2025 Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl will feature over 120 authors, artists, performers, and panelists in over 40 events across downtown Reno on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Be part of a joyful day of panel discussions, book signings, performances, workshops, and family-friendly activities that celebrate the written word in all of its forms. All events take place at local businesses and organizations throughout the California Avenue corridor and Downtown Reno. The Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl is free and open to participants of all ages. (Admission to the Nevada Museum of Art is free on Saturday, September 13.)
RSVP for free to let us know that you plan to attend the day-long Crawl and receive updates ahead of the event. (Please note that this RSVP is not a ticket to the Keynote Event.)
Support Nevada Humanities
For nearly 55 years, Nevada Humanities has connected Nevadans and amplified Nevada’s stories. In April, the National Endowment for the Humanities drastically cut our budget by 75%. Even so, we are able to move forward with the 2025 Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl because of the many people and organizations who have supported Nevada Humanities and this event, and who believe in the power of the humanities to nurture healthy communities in Nevada.
Help us continue to bring vital arts and culture programming like the Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl to Nevada’s communities. Support Nevada Humanities with a donation today during a special matching challenge: your gift will be matched 1:1 until we raise $50,000.
Keynote Event:
A Conversation with Willy Vlautin
11:00 am – 12:15 pm, followed by a book signing event
Nightingale Sky Room, Nevada Museum of Art
Author Willy Vlautin returns home to Reno as the keynote author for the 2025 Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl. Winner of the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, Vlautin will discuss his work and his latest novel The Horse with former Nevada Poet Laureate Gailmarie Pahmeier. A moderated Q&A session and a book signing will follow the keynote event. Tickets are required for admission. Limit of one ticket reservation per person.
The Keynote Event is sold out. A waiting list is open for tickets that may become available in the future due to cancellations.
Find Out What’s Happening at the Crawl
Pick up a free Program Guide at The Radical Cat at 1500 South Virginia Street or the Downtown Reno Library at 301 South Center Street in Reno.
To see the full schedule (including all book signing events), download the free Conf.app smartphone app for iOS and Android. Once downloaded, open the app and search for Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl or scan the QR code below. Turn on notifications to receive short notifications throughout the day as your Crawl.
Know Before You Crawl
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COVID-19 cases are on the rise in our area. Masks are welcome at all events. If you are not feeling well, please stay home.
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To see the full schedule (including all book signing events) and read about this year's featured artists, please download our app. Learn more about the app here.
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Street parking is available throughout the Downtown and MidTown areas. However, please note that parking may be limited due to an event at the Pioneer Center on Saturday, September 13. There are also hourly garages available near the venues. Please plan accordingly.
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If you plan to join us for the full day of events, please wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water and snacks to fuel your Crawl. Please note that while there is a 15-minute break between sessions, it may take a bit of time to travel from one venue to the next. Please review the map in the Program Guide or on the app to plan your day.
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It will likely be a sunny day! Please bring sunglasses and a hat, especially if you plan to attend sessions at outdoor venues including the Great Basin Community Food Co-op and 24 California Avenue. Please also keep be aware of any weather advisories as conditions may change.
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All venues are accessible. If you would like to use the elevator at a venue but are unsure of its location, please ask someone wearing a blue lanyard to identify the Session Guide. They can help connect you with venue personnel as needed. For the Classroom at the Lake Mansion/Arts for All Nevada, the easiest way to reach this venue is from the entrance in the back of the mansion, near the parking lot on South Arlington Avenue.
Venues
1864 Tavern (290 California Avenue)
The Lake Mansion, Arts for All Nevada (250 Court Street)
Bibo Coffee Downtown (460 South Sierra Street)
The Collaboratory at The Discovery (490 South Center Street)
Downtown Reno Library (301 South Center Street)
Great Basin Community Food Co-op (240 Court Street)
Nevada Museum of Art (160 West Liberty Street) – Free Admission on Saturday, September, 13.
RareTea, The Wheyfarer, Elixir Superfood & Juice (24 California Avenue)
Sierra Arts Foundation (17 South Virginia Street)
Free Workshops
Write Lyrics! A Workshop for Young Songwriters
1:00 – 2:00 pm
E.L. Cord Classroom, Lake Mansion, Arts for All Nevada
Let the lyrics flow! Join J Vineyard and Casey Bell of G.I.R.L.S. Rock Reno for an exciting opportunity for young songwriters to learn the craft of lyric writing.
This is a free workshop. No registration required. Limited spaces available.
Book Binding and Letterpress Workshop with Black Rock Press
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Studio B, E.L. Cord Museum School, Nevada Museum of Art
In this hands-on session, participants will design and letterpress print a bold single word onto a cover sheet, then learn the basics of pamphlet stitch binding to assemble a multi-page booklet. By the end of the hour, each participant will leave with their own hand-bound creation. Led by Ashley Fuchs.
This is a free workshop. Registration is required. Limit one reservation per person. Please note: space for this workshop is very limited. Please only reserve a ticket if you plan to join the workshop. If no reservations are available, please check back regularly as spots may open up due to cancellations.
Wild Western Wordsmiths
2:15 – 3:15 pm
E.L. Cord Classroom, Lake Mansion, Arts for All Nevada
Calling all writers and poets aged 18 to 26 (or thereabouts)! Join local creative and fellow writer Reena Spansail and learn how to court your muse to keep your creative juices flowing—even when writer's block stands in the way.
This is a free workshop. No registration required. Limited spaces available.
Featured Authors, Artists, and Performers
Over 120 authors, artists, and performers will join the 2025 Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl. To learn more about them and to see a full schedule of their scheduled sessions and book signing events, download the free Conf.app smartphone app on iOS and Android and search for Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl.
Not pictured above: Jennie Burns, Elvira Díaz, Tristan Duke, William Fox, Timothy Rhodes, Colin Robertson, and Joseph Sanpietro.
Please note the following changes to the printed Program Guide:
The Written Word, Sung: Opera Singers on Music and Words, originally scheduled for 2:15 pm at the Prim Theater, Nevada Museum of Art, will be postponed to a later date.
Stacey Burns, Mary Mager, and Gabriel Urza are unable to attend the Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl this year.
For the latest information on the program, please download the free Conf.app smartphone app and search for Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl.
Sponsors and Community Partners
Become a Sponsor
Each year, the Nevada Humanities Literary Crawl brings hundreds of literature, arts, and humanities enthusiasts to Reno for this signature event—the largest literary festival in northern Nevada. Align your brand with this unique event and enhance your reach in the Reno-Sparks community.
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact George Tsz-Kwan Lam, Nevada Humanities Assistant Director, at glam@nevadahumanities.org or 775-784-6537.
Special Thanks
David Walker, Colin Robertson, and the Nevada Museum of Art
Emelie Williams and the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust
Tim Young and Arts for All Nevada
The Downtown Reno Library and the Washoe County Library System
Liz Mumford, Kellee Morgado, and Mabble Media
Brian Duggan, Theresa Reilly, and KUNR Public Radio
Ilya Arbatman, Rosie Zuckerman, and The Radical Cat
Britt Curtis, Alana Berglund, and The Holland Project
Colette LaBouff, Charlotte Wyatt, and the Black Mountain Institute
Artists Lindsay Dimitri and Meredith Solin who generously provided artwork for the program guide
Grassroots Books and Pax Robinson, who generously donated prizes for the CrawlQuest Scavenger Hunt
Past Events
2024 Nevada Humanities
Literary Crawl
2018 Nevada Humanities
Literary Crawl
2022 Nevada Humanities
Literary Crawl
2017 Nevada Humanities
Literary Crawl
2019 Nevada Humanities
Literary Crawl
Media Inquiries
For media inquiries, please contact George Tsz-Kwan Lam, Nevada Humanities Assistant Director, at glam@nevadahumanities.org or 775-784-6537.
