Two Oregon Books Bring Pacific Northwest Voices to DC's National Book Festival 2026
Two Oregon-based books are selected for the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington DC. Meet the authors and their stories.
In brief
Two Oregon-based books have earned spots at the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, DC — one of the country's largest free literary celebrations. Held on the National Mall, the festival draws hundreds of thousands of readers each year and serves as the premier showcase for American authorship, from debut novelists to Pulitzer Prize winners.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Two Oregon-based authors and their books have been selected for the 2026 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, DC.
The National Book Festival is a free annual event on the National Mall, typically drawing 200,000+ attendees and representing one of the most prestigious literary platforms in the country.
Oregon's inclusion signals the festival's ongoing effort to represent regional American literary voices beyond coastal publishing hubs like New York.
The 2026 festival continues a tradition launched by First Lady Laura Bush in 2001 and now stewarded by the Library of Congress.
DC readers and book lovers can attend author talks, signings, and panels without cost — making this one of the capital's most democratically accessible cultural events.
Oregon on the National Mall: Why Regional Voices Matter at the Library of Congress Festival
Every August, the Library of Congress National Book Festival transforms the Washington Convention Center and surrounding National Mall corridors into a living monument to American storytelling. Authors fly in from every time zone. Publishers set up alongside independent booksellers. And readers — from Capitol Hill staffers to Anacostia families — pack the halls to hear writers speak in their own words.
The selection of two Oregon-based books for the 2026 program is more than a regional honor. It's a signal that American literature's center of gravity extends well beyond Midtown Manhattan. The Pacific Northwest has cultivated a distinct literary identity — shaped by old-growth forests, Indigenous land histories, immigrant port communities, and a countercultural spirit that stretches from Portland's Alberta Arts District to the coast of Astoria.
For DC readers and the literary institutions that cluster around Dupont Circle and Capitol Hill, Oregon's presence at the festival offers a rare window into a geography that rarely dominates the Beltway conversation. That's precisely what makes it worth paying attention to.
The National Book Festival has featured more than 2,000 authors since its founding and consistently draws upward of 200,000 attendees annually, according to the Library of Congress. Admission remains free — a democratic principle baked into the festival's DNA since First Lady Laura Bush and the Library of Congress launched it on the National Mall in 2001.
The National Book Festival's Reach: From the Hill to the Nation
Washington, DC doesn't just host politics — it hosts the infrastructure of American intellectual life. The Library of Congress, seated at 101 Independence Avenue SE just east of the Capitol, holds the largest library collection in the world, with more than 170 million items in its holdings, per Library of Congress records. The National Book Festival is its most public-facing cultural act of the year.
What sets the festival apart from New York's literary circuit or the Pacific Northwest's own abundance of book fairs — including Portland's storied Powell's Books events — is its explicit national mandate. Curators deliberately seek authors who represent the full spectrum of American experience: rural and urban, established and emerging, genre fiction and literary nonfiction.
Oregon fitting into that mosaic makes cultural sense. The state has produced significant literary figures across generations, and its independent bookstore culture — Powell's Books in Portland remains one of the largest independent bookstores in the world — reflects a readership that punches far above its population weight.
For the authors selected, appearing at the National Book Festival carries real career weight. Author panels here get covered by The Washington Post, NPR, and national book media. A strong performance in front of a DC audience — policy-minded, internationally curious, deeply literate — can shift a book's trajectory.
DC's literary ecosystem is richer and more layered than outsiders assume. Beyond the lobbying firms and think tanks on K Street, the city sustains a genuine reading culture: Busboys and Poets in Shaw and Brookland hosts author events weekly; Politics and Prose in Cleveland Park has been a neighborhood anchor since 1984; and the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill draws scholars from every continent. The National Book Festival is the annual moment when all of those threads converge in public.
Oregon's two selections arriving in DC also carry a subtle political resonance. As Congress and the White House continue to debate federal arts funding — the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services both faced funding pressures through the mid-2020s — the Library of Congress National Book Festival stands as proof that federally supported cultural programming delivers measurable public value. Two hundred thousand people don't show up for a government PR exercise. They show up because books matter.
For anyone tracking the DC political landscape in 2026, the festival's survival and continued expansion is itself a data point about where federal cultural priorities land when the crowds show up to vote with their feet.
What DC Book Lovers Should Know Before the Festival
The 2026 National Book Festival is scheduled for late summer at the Washington Convention Center at 801 Mount Vernon Place NW, a venue that's hosted the event since the festival moved indoors in 2013. Doors open to the public at no cost, though some author signings require advance registration through the Library of Congress website.
For readers who want to go deep on the Oregon selections before the authors take the stage, Portland's literary community offers rich context. Local outlets like The Oregonian/OregonLive have covered both books, and Powell's Books staff picks provide one of the more reliable literary recommendation pipelines in the country.
DC attendees arriving via Metro should note that the Convention Center sits a short walk from the Mount Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center station on the Green and Yellow lines — one of the more underrated Metro stops for accessing the city's cultural corridor that runs from Penn Quarter up through Shaw.
Beyond the Oregon panels, the festival's full 2026 lineup spans fiction, poetry, history, science, and children's literature. The DC cultural power players who program and fund these events have consistently made the National Book Festival one of the most intellectually serious free public events anywhere in the United States.
Oregon's Literary Identity: A Brief Context for DC Readers
For Washingtonians unfamiliar with Oregon's literary landscape: the state's writing culture runs from Ursula K. Le Guin's transformative science fiction — she spent her career in Portland — to the raw naturalism of Cheryl Strayed's Wild, which brought the Pacific Crest Trail into the national consciousness. Contemporary Oregon writers frequently engage themes of environment, Indigenous sovereignty, immigration, and the tension between preservation and development that defines Western American life.
Those themes land differently in a DC room than they might in Portland. In Washington, environment becomes EPA policy; Indigenous sovereignty becomes Bureau of Indian Affairs appropriations; immigration becomes the latest Senate floor fight. Oregon writers speaking at the National Book Festival aren't just sharing stories — they're, perhaps inadvertently, briefing a city of policy professionals on lived American experience.
That translation — between the literary and the legislative — is exactly what makes the National Book Festival one of the most quietly consequential annual events in the capital. Explore more of DC's cultural moment on the WDCM Culture desk.
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FAQ: Oregon Books at the 2026 National Book Festival
Q: What is the Library of Congress National Book Festival? A: The National Book Festival is a free annual literary event organized by the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Launched in 2001, it features hundreds of authors across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children's literature, and draws more than 200,000 attendees each year to the Washington Convention Center.
Q: When and where is the 2026 National Book Festival? A: The 2026 National Book Festival is scheduled for late summer at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington, DC. Admission is free. Check the Library of Congress website for exact dates and registration details for author signings.
Q: Why were Oregon-based books selected for the 2026 festival? A: The Library of Congress curates the National Book Festival to reflect the full geographic and cultural breadth of American literature. Oregon's selection reflects the festival's commitment to amplifying regional voices and recognizing the Pacific Northwest's distinct and influential literary tradition.
Q: How do I get to the National Book Festival by Metro? A: Take the Green or Yellow line to the Mount Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center station. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is a short walk from the station exit on 7th Street NW.
Q: Are National Book Festival author signings free? A: General festival admission is free. Some individual author signing sessions require advance registration through the Library of Congress's official festival page. Books for signing are typically purchased on-site from festival booksellers.
Q: What is Oregon's literary significance in American writing? A: Oregon has produced major American literary figures including Ursula K. Le Guin and Cheryl Strayed, and sustains one of the country's strongest independent bookstore cultures, anchored by Portland's Powell's Books. Oregon writers frequently engage themes of environmentalism, Indigenous history, and Western American identity.
The bottom line: Two Oregon books heading to the Library of Congress National Book Festival represent more than a regional milestone — they bring Pacific Northwest literary voices into one of Washington's most attended and intellectually serious public events. For DC readers, the festival remains a rare free occasion to engage American literature at scale, right in the shadow of the Capitol. Watch for the full 2026 author lineup on the Library of Congress website, and mark your Metro card for a late-summer Saturday on the Green line.
What to watch next: As the full 2026 National Book Festival program rolls out, track which first-time authors land coveted main-stage slots — those selections often foreshadow National Book Award conversations come October. Follow WDCM's Culture coverage for DC literary event previews all season.
Reporting drawn from: KOIN.com. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
