The Bronx is getting its first-ever dedicated art and book festival this Saturday — a free, afternoon-long event at the Bronx Museum of the Arts that brings together visual artists, authors, zine makers, and book lovers from across the borough and beyond. If you have been sleeping on cultural events in the Bronx, this is a good occasion to wake up.
The First Bronx Art & Book Festival
Saturday, May 9, 2026 from 12 PM to 6 PM
Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
Free and open to the public
The inaugural Bronx Art & Book Festival is happening at the Bronx Museum of the Arts on Grand Concourse — one of the Bronx’s great civic boulevards, lined with Art Deco apartment buildings and anchored by the museum itself. The event runs all afternoon and covers a wide range of creative disciplines: books, art, zines, prints, photography, illustration, tattoo art, poetry, bookmaking, children’s books, sculpture, and language art.
The festival brings together independent artists, authors, and small-press publishers for a day of art exhibits, book signings, workshops, live conversations, and community vendor tables. It is the kind of event that is harder to find in New York than it should be — focused on local creative work rather than commercial publishing, and anchored in a borough that has produced an extraordinary amount of American cultural output, from hip-hop to salsa to literary fiction.
The Bronx Museum itself is worth the trip on its own. Founded in 1971 as one of New York’s first community museums, it has a permanent collection focused on artists from the Bronx and the Global South, and its programming has long emphasized accessibility and community engagement. Admission to the museum’s galleries is free, so you can pair the festival with time inside the building.
Getting to the Bronx Museum
The Bronx Museum is well-served by public transit. The 4 train stops at 161st Street-Yankee Stadium, which is within walking distance of the museum at 1040 Grand Concourse. The B and D trains stop at 161st Street as well. From Midtown Manhattan, the trip is roughly 30–40 minutes depending on your starting point.
The museum is also steps from Franz Sigel Park, a small neighborhood park that sits between the Grand Concourse and the High Bridge neighborhood. If the weather holds, it is a pleasant area to walk before or after the festival.
Grand Concourse: The Boulevard Worth Knowing
If you haven’t spent time on the Grand Concourse, the festival is a good excuse to orient yourself. The boulevard runs for about four miles from 138th Street up to Mosholu Parkway, and the architecture along it — built mostly in the 1920s through 1940s — is among the most impressive in any New York neighborhood that doesn’t get constant tourist attention.
The blocks around the museum, near 165th Street, have a mix of longtime Bronx institutions and newer community organizations. The area is home to several Dominican restaurants and bakeries that are worth stopping at before the festival opens or after it wraps. El Nuevo Caridad on the Concourse is a long-running neighborhood spot if you want a simple lunch nearby.
Also This Weekend in the Bronx
The broader Bronx Week celebration runs through May 17, so the borough is generally in a festive mode this weekend. Bronx Week is the annual celebration of Bronx culture and community — the largest events are slated for the final weekend of May 16 and 17, but smaller programming is scattered through the two weeks. Check ilovethebronx.com for the full calendar.
Three YMCA locations in the Bronx are also offering complimentary 3-Day Passes to Bronx residents through May 17 as part of Bronx Week. If you are a Bronx resident looking for fitness options this weekend, it is worth calling your nearest branch to confirm availability.
What You Need to Know
- First Bronx Art & Book Festival — Saturday, May 9, 12 PM–6 PM; Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse; free
- Features artists, authors, zines, prints, photography, illustration, poetry, bookmaking, sculpture, and children’s books
- Live conversations, workshops, and community vendor tables throughout the afternoon
- Take the 4, B, or D train to 161st Street; the museum is a short walk from the station
- Bronx Museum gallery admission is free — pair the festival with time inside the building
- Bronx Week runs through May 17 — larger events follow on May 16–17
