Talks & Entertainment

Jake Tapper

In Conversation with Kristen Welker

Following his instant New York Times bestsellers The Hellfire Club and The Devil May Dance, the CNN anchor’s heart-pounding new thriller All the Demons Are Heretakes us back to the 1970s, with two unforgettable characters encountering many of the real-life figures and events that defined one of the wildest and most dangerous decades in American history.

Battle of the Bagels

Who makes the best bagels in the District? You be the judge as you sample bagels from around the city and vote for your favorites. Enjoy mimosas, a bagel bar with spreads from Pearl’s, bagel trivia, and more.

B. Dylan Hollis

In Conversation with Dave Jorgenson

In Baking Yesteryear, a baking blast from the past, the TikTok star shares 101 expertly curated recipes that highlight the most unique tasty treats of yesteryear.

James McBride

In Conversation with Jason Reynolds

The National Book Award winner brings his signature hope, humor, and humanity to The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, a novel about small-town secrets and the people who keep them.

Trivia Under the Stars

From sports and pop culture to geography and politics, we’ll test your knowledge of it all outdoors in the heart of NOMA at Wunder Garten.

Adeena Sussman

In Conversation with Michael Twitty

The author of Sababa returns with Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from My Table to Yours. Woven throughout recipes like fig and pomegranate brisket and bubbe’s extra-crispy potato kugel is a rich portrait of Shabbat in Israel, taking us inside the kitchens of local cooks who have shared their most beloved recipes.

NEW VENUE: Life with the Afterlife

True Tales of the Paranormal with Ghost Hunter Amy Bruni

The paranormal investigator, author, podcaster and star of “Kindred Spirits” and “Ghost Hunters” shares hair-raising tales from her countless hours hunting ghosts at America’s most haunted locations.

Cody Rigsby

In Conversation with Andrew Chappelle

In XOXO, Cody: An Opinionated Homosexual’s Guide to Self-Love, Relationships, and Tactful Pettiness, the Peloton instructor chronicles his journey from growing up gay and poor in small-town North Carolina to becoming a fitness icon in New York City in an empowering story that reveals his secret to success: not taking yourself—or life—too seriously. 

Leslie Jones

In Conversation with Tiffany Cross

In her audacious memoir, Leslie F*cking Jones, the comedian and former “SNL” cast member opens up for the first time about how she faltered and triumphed on the road to success and, in doing so, encourages others to let go of the fear and self-doubt that holds them back.

If Books are Banned: Reading Between the Lines

Ahead of Banned Books Week, hear about the movement to restrict books, what’s at stake, and the effort to fight back. Panelists include PEN America Washington Managing Director Nadine Farid Johnson, author and journalist James Kirchick, and DC Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan, in conversation with Laura Meckler, national education writer for The Washington Post. Following, award-winning drag queen Tara Hoot will read from a banned children’s book.