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NYPL's World Literature & Arts Festival to Be Held April 14–30
April 14, 2025, 1:46.39 am ET

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The New York Public Library’s World Literature & Arts Festival will be held April 14–30, 2025, with a robust lineup of free events spanning Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Timed to coincide with Immigrant Heritage Week and National Poetry Month, the festival celebrates storytelling in all its forms—through music, food, performance, and literature—spotlighting the city’s vibrant immigrant communities and multilingual voices. This year’s programming includes over 30 events, from writing workshops and open mics to artist talks and bilingual storytimes.

Culinary storytelling takes center stage at two marquee events. On April 21, Michelin-starred chef José Andrés headlines LIVE from NYPL for Change the Recipe, an evening of insight into his humanitarian work and the role of food in crisis response. Then on April 23, Celebration of Sweetness with Malai Ice Cream at Seward Park Library features Malai founder Pooja Bavishi discussing her Malai Cookbook, followed by a drag performance from artist Malai and tastings of South Asian-inspired ice cream flavors.

Other highlights include Latinx and Bengali diaspora readings, a shadow puppet performance in Chinatown, and a theatrical retelling of The Latehomecomer on April 30. The Library will also feature curated reading lists in multiple languages and offer access to its vast World Language Collections across more than 60 languages. The full festival schedule is available at nypl.org/worldliteraturefestival.



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