AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas Book Festival stars Saturday and organizers say it is the largest in the festival’s 17-year history.

The event held in and around the State Capitol features more than 250 authors plus live music, cooking demonstrations, children’s activities, the return of the Lit Crawl Austin event and more.

The festival is free and open to the public and happens on Saturday, Oct. 27 and Sunday, Oct. 28.

“The Festival is a place to engage in ideas, and to have a dialogue that both reflects and influences our culture,” says Lidia Agraz, Texas Book Festival executive director.

Some of the themes that stand out in this year’s festival include fictional families falling apart, social justice, broadcast journalism, immigration, the cities of Paris, France and Dallas, Texas; and several topics related to war, According to Agraz.

Non-fiction authors will be in the C-SPAN/Book TV Tent on Congress Avenue between Ninth and 10th streets. Jeffrey Toobin, a bestselling author, staff writer for The New Yorker, and senior legal analyst for CNN, kicks off the Festival at 10 a.m. Saturday in the House Chamber at the State Capitol.

The weekend’s vibrant lineup of authors includes Cheryl Strayed, Tony Danza, Robert Caro, Junot Díaz, Jewel, Jeffrey Toobin, Zane, Tim O’Brien, Justin Cronin, and David Maraniss. Headlining authors also include Naomi Wolf, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Bob Balaban, Attica Locke, Damien Echols, Marcia Clark, and Mark Danielewski. News and political junkies can hear from Robert Draper, Kurt Eichenwald, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Rachel L. Swarns, and David Westin.

The many engaging panels include ” A Tribute to Madeleine L’Engle ,” “Literary Death Match” and “You Had to Be There: In Search of Unlikely Stories.”

Back by popular demand is Saturday night’s “Lit Crawl Austin,” a co-production of the Texas Book Festival, the Litquake Foundation, and Austin’s East Side. Inspired by San Francisco’s long-running Lit Crawl (and produced with their participation), Lit Crawl Austin will feature some of America’s most groundbreaking writers onstage at various East Austin venues, talking about their latest books and ideas and signing books. Lit Crawl is a one-of-a-kind jolt to Texas’ readers, say organizers.

Renowned cooking experts from across the nation and Texas will be featured in the Texas Book Festival Cooking Tent, sponsored by Central Market, to show off their latest cookbooks, engage in discussions and perform a variety of cooking demonstrations. A few of the top cookbook authors include: Naomi Duguid, author of “Burma: Rivers of Flavor;” Diane Morgan, author of “Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes,” and Jesse Griffiths, author of “Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish.”

The youngest readers can enjoy the “Children’s Chapter,” sponsored by H-E-B, which includes the Children’s Read Me a Story Tent, the Children’s Entertainment Tent, and the Children’s Activity Tent. From award-winning actor-writer-producer-director Bob Balaban     comes “Boy or Beast,” the first volume in “The Creature From the Seventh Grade” series. Rebecca Stead, whose newest book is “Liar and Spy,” will also be a hit with tweens. Authors popular with young children include Chris Gall, author of the “Dinotrux” books, and Dav Pilkey, author of the cartoon novel “Captain Underpants.”    

Children’s entertainment includes Circus Chicken Dog, the Biscuit Brothers, and the McCallum High School Knights of Steel on Saturday; and magician Kent Cummins and singer/songwriter Walter Tragert on Sunday. The Children’s Activity Tent features fun hands-on projects that kids can take home.

The Texas Book Festival Mobile App, available later this month, will make it easy for attendees to have schedules, maps and the festival experience in the palm of their hands.

“Fast Pass” members will have immediate access to nine featured authors this year: Tony Danza, Jewel, Cheryl Strayed, Robert Caro, Dan Rather, Junot Díaz, Tim O’Brien, Justin Cronin, and Jeffrey Toobin. The Fast Pass allows festival members at the $100-and-above level to bypass long lines, in addition to other perks.

For a full list of membership levels and benefits, view the membership section of TBF’s website. All contributions help support the festival, which is free and open to the public, and are tax-deductible.