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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Aspen Words

Aspen Words encourages writers, inspires readers, and connects people through the power of stories.

Aspen Words, the nonprofit literary organization known for decades as the Aspen Writers’ Foundation, was founded in Aspen in 1976 as a cutting edge poetry conference and literary magazine. Today Aspen Words (AW) is one of the nation’s leading literary centers and a stage for the world’s most prominent contemporary writers. AW programs employ literature as a tool for provoking thought, broadening perspectives, fostering connections, inspiring creativity, and giving voice. Since 2009, we have partnered with the Aspen Institute, underscoring the highest humanistic ideals of Institute founder Walter Paepcke: to better understand human challenges by cultivating one’s inner life through the exchange of words, stories, and ideas.

09/21/2026

Get ready for the Aspen Literary Festival! 📚 Here’s a helpful guide of some important things to know as you make your plans. (Pro tip: bookmark this post for quick reference during the festival).

09/17/2026

The Aspen Literary Festival is next week on September 25-27! 🎟️ Register for free events and don’t forget to buy your tickets for the following sessions at the Wheeler Opera House. Tickets ($45) are available at aspenshowtix.com.

🗓️ September 25 at 5:00 PM MT
Remembering and Forgetting
A conversation with Robert Kolker (Bob Kolker)and Nelson Dellis (Nelson Dellis | Memory Coach)

🗓️ September 26 at 1:30 PM MT
Make Your Mark
A conversation with Kate Bowler (Kate Bowler 🫶🏻 Hope when life is hard.) and Peter H. Reynolds (Peter H. Reynolds)

🗓️ September 26 at 4:30 PM MT
Beyond the Known World
A conversation with Veronica Roth (veronica roth) and Fonda Lee (Fonda Lee)

🗓️ September 27 at 11:00 AM MT
Against the Tide
A conversation with Ariel Lawhon (Ariel Lawhon), Shannon Sanders (Shannon Sanders) and Lisa See (Lisa See)

🗓️ September 27 at 4:00 PM MT
Bad Decisions, Great Stories
A conversation with Jennette McCurdy (Jennette McCurdy) and Maria Semple (Maria Semple)

09/14/2026

MERCH GIVEAWAY! Get ready for the Aspen Literary Festival (September 25-27) with a new festival book bag, hat, and books from authors Shannon Sanders and Jennette McCurdy.

Follow these steps to enter for a chance to win:
1️⃣ Follow Aspen Words on Instagram
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag two friends in the comments
📆 Enter by September 20 at 10:00 PM MT for your chance to win!

MORE DETAILS:
Review the full Giveaway Official Rules and prize details at link in bio.

One entry per person, open to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 years or older to be eligible for the Giveaway. Must complete all steps for Giveaway to be eligible to win.

Winner will be randomly selected and notified via Instagram direct message. Winners will need to respond to the direct message to claim their prize by September 22 at 10 am MT.

09/09/2026

The Aspen Literary Festival is adding Next Gen programming for young readers and families this year! 📚 On September 26 and 27, young book lovers accompanied by a chaperone can meet bestselling authors, discover new books, attend engaging literary conversations, and more!

🎟️ Registration is free. Adult chaperones can follow the free General Admission registration pathway to register young readers.

Check out some of the program offerings:

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 9:30 AM-10:30 AM
ALF Next Gen Presents: Matt de la Peña - Stories are Everywhere
PreK-2nd Grade / Free with Registration
@ Pitkin County Library

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 2:00 PM-3:30 PM
ALF Next Gen Presents: Books to Art - Creative Craft Stations
Arts and Crafts
@ Red Brick Center or the Arts—Art Room

Saturday, Sept. 26 | 3:30 PM-4:30 PM
ALF Next Gen Presents: Ice Cream Social with Children’s Authors
Author Meet and Greet
@ Next Gen Headquarters Tent—Red Brick Center for the Arts

Sunday, Sept. 27
9:30 AM-10:30 AM | ALF Next Gen Presents - Kelly Yang: Finding Your Voice
3rd-7th Grade / Free with Registration
@ Pitkin County Library

Sunday, Sept. 27
11:00 AM-12:30 PM | ALF Next Gen Presents - Books to Art: Creative Craft Stations
Arts and Crafts
@ Red Brick Center or the Arts—Art Room

Sunday, Sept. 27
3:00 PM-4:00 PM | ALF Next Gen Presents - Storytime with Jill Sheeley: Adventures with Fraser the Yellow Dog
Local Author Reading
@ Next Gen Headquarters Tent—Red Brick Center for the Arts

Thank you to our local partners, the Pitkin County Library and Roaring Fork Valley schools. Special thanks to Arny and Anne Porath for supporting the Next Gen program.

09/01/2026

📚 We’re only a few weeks away from the Aspen Literary Festival! We are so excited to welcome bestselling authors and book lovers on September 25-27! General registration is free with some paid ticketed events. Check out more details at the link in our bio.

08/28/2026

Check out the 2026 Aspen Literary Festival schedule! 📚Join us on September 25–27 for three days of literary conversations, book talks, parties, and more! General admission registration is free and main stage events are ticketed ($45). More details at the link in our bio.

08/25/2026

Celebrate the Aspen Literary Festival with an unforgettable evening of food, cocktails, w**e, music, and a variety show featuring festival authors. Your ticket also helps keep the Aspen Literary Festival accessible and open to all!

Event Details:
September 26 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Paul JAS Center

Purchase an individual ticket ($300) or a Friends of the Festival pass, which includes a ticket to the party and more, at the link in our bio.

08/14/2026

Meet the moderators for the 2026 Aspen Literary Festival!

Tim Ehrenberg (Tim Talks Books) is the creator of Tim Talks Books, President of the Nantucket Book Foundation, which presents the annual Nantucket Book Festival, and the Marketing, Events, and E-commerce Director for Nantucket Book Partners. He is the co-host of the hit literary podcast Books, Beach, & Beyond with best-selling author Elin Hilderbrand.

Miwa Messer () is the creator, executive producer and host of the Barnes & Noble podcast “Poured Over,” a show for readers who pore over details, obsess over sentences and ideas and stories and character — readers who ask a lot of questions, just like her, a career bookseller who’s always reading.

Kate Tuttle is a book critic, essayist and editor. A past president of the National Book Critics Circle and judge for the National Book Award, she edits the books pages of the Boston Globe. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and elsewhere. A Kansas native, she now lives in New Jersey after stints in Boston and Atlanta.

08/13/2026

Check out these books from authors that will be at this year’s Aspen Literary Festival! 📚 Join us on September 25-27 for a three-day celebration featuring bestselling authors, book signings, parties, and more!

Visit our website at the link in our bio to see the full speaker lineup and registration details.

08/04/2026

🎟️ Tickets are on sale for Aspen Literary Festival events at the Wheeler Opera House! All Wheeler Main Stage events require an individual ticket ($45) or a Friends of the Festival pass to attend. Buy your tickets at the link in our bio.

Friday, September 25 | 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Robert Kolker (Bob Kolker) & Nelson Dellis (Nelson Dellis | Memory Coach)

Saturday, September 26 | 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Kate Bowler (Kate Bowler 🫶🏻 Hope when life is hard.) & Peter Reynolds (Peter H. Reynolds)

Saturday, September 26 | 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Veronica Roth (veronica roth) & Fonda Lee (Fonda Lee)

Sunday, September 27 | 11:00-12:00 p.m.
Ariel Lawhon (Ariel Lawhon) & Shannon Sanders () & Lisa See (Lisa See)

Sunday, September 27 | 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Jennette McCurdy (Jennette McCurdy) & Maria Semple (Maria Semple)

Address

110 E Hallam Street
Aspen, CO
81611

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19709253122

Website

http://www.aspenwords.org/

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