Book Expo America (BEA), the largest annual book trade fair in the U.S. will be held in New York City this year from May 27-29. More than 750 authors, hundreds of new titles, 1,000+ exhibitors, and four Author Stages, along with the Digital Discovery Zone (D2Z) provided by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) make this one of the best environments for networking, sourcing, and relationship building in the publishing industry in North America. The BEA website has details.

The 31st annual Printer’s Row Lit Fest, considered the largest free outdoor literary event in the Midwest, is expected to draw more than 150,000 book lovers throughout the weekend of June 6-7 in Chicago’s South Loop. LeVar Burton, the force behind the PBS series “Reading Rainbow,” will be honored at this year’s Lit Fest as recipient of the Chicago Tribune’s 2015 Young Adult Literary Award. The Fest offers block after block of booksellers, vendors, performers and events, hosting more than 200 authors in panels, discussions and other programs. Among those appearing in this year’s extensive lineup are: Erik Larson, Edward P. Jones, Rick Bayless, Amber Tamblyn, David Axelrod, Lawrence Wright, Garry Wills, Aleksandar Hemon, Elizabeth Berg, Neal Stephenson, Scott Simon, Rebecca Makkai and more.