# Edible Book Festival
**Source**: https://tabbcenter.library.jhu.edu/edible-book-festival/
**Parent**: https://tabbcenter.library.jhu.edu/
You’re Invited!
### Edible Book Festival
Monday, March 30, 2026\
12:30 – 2:30pm
Glass Pavillion, Homewood Campus
## About the Festival
The Sheridan Libraries Edible Book Festival began in 2014 and is now a highly-anticipated Johns Hopkins tradition. It is one of many such festivals that take place around the world on or around April 1 to celebrate books, art, food, and culture. In our festival, edible books are desserts inspired by literary titles, characters, or authors. Contestants are encouraged to combine word play with books, decoration, and ingredients.
Edible Book Festivals began with the [Books2Eat](http://www.books2eat.beatricecoron.com/) website in 2000 and are now celebrated internationally. The event was created to commemorate the birthday of gastronome and author [Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Anthelme_Brillat-Savarin). April Fools’ Day is also the perfect day to eat your words.
The Sheridan Libraries Book Festival is sponsored by the [Winston Tabb Special Collections Research Center](https://www.library.jhu.edu/library-departments/special-collections/tabb-center/).
## 2026 Festival Guidelines
### Contest Entry
Registration to enter the contest will open on Monday, January 26. Contest registration closes at 5pm on Wednesday, March 25. You do not need to register to attend the event. We will have fun free raffles, popcorn, and a photobooth if you just want to attend the event!
- **Eligibility**: Open to all Johns Hopkins affiliates (students, faculty, staff, donor groups, and alumni).
- **Entry requirements**:
- The dessert must be made from edible materials.
- The dessert does not have to look like a book; it simply needs to be inspired by one.
- Please follow the [JHU Social Compact](https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/social-compact/) when creating your edible book.
**Questions or Comments?** Email Heidi Herr at [hherr1@jhu.edu](mailto:hherr1@jhu.edu) and follow [@jhuspecialcollections](https://www.instagram.com/jhuspecialcollections/) on Instagram to see highlights from previous festivals.
"\*" indicates required fields
Name
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Primary Contact Name\*
First
Last
Primary Contact Email\*
Additional Baker(s)
First Name
Last Name
Email
Add Remove
JHU Affiliation\*
Student
Faculty
Staff
Alumni
Donor
Book Title\*
Which book do you plan to make edible?
Hopkins 150th Anniversary Category
Does your edible book relate to the Hopkins sesquecentennial celebration in some way?
Yes
No
Possibly, please advise
Dietary Restrictions
Dairy-free
Contains tree nuts
Contains peanuts
Vegan
Kosher
Gluten-free
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## Categories & Awards
### JH 150th
This is a special category to celebrate 150 years of Johns Hopkins! To be eligible for this special prize, the entry must meet one of the following criteria:
- be inspired by a book about Hopkins history, written by JH faculty or alums, or published by the JH University Press
- be in honor of a book first published in 1876
- be in reference of an artifact from the University Archives (like an old JH yearbook or freshman beanie)
###
### Best in Show
This edible book has it all: creativity, polish, and flare. From the written statement to the photos to the edible book itself, this dessert is the James Beard Award and the Nobel Prize for Literature combined!
### Best Literary Theme
Let’s face it. You want to read instead of eat the book! This edible book perfectly embodies its literary inspiration or entices you to move the book to the top of your summer reading list.
### Best Effort
This category represents the spirit of the edible book festival! While it may not be the ace of cakes, this edible book is replete with charm and discernible effort, like the first draft of a promising writer!
### Most Delicious Edible Book
Not only does this edible book defy the limits of books and desserts, but it sets new levels of excellence for deliciousness as well!
### Funniest/Pun-iest
The edible book entry most likely to put a smile on your face! Clever, humorous, or super-silly, it makes your stomach roar with laughter and rumble with delight.
### Best Vegan
You can’t believe it’s not butter . . . or a book!
### New Category: Prettiest Edible Book
Because sometimes you can judge a dessert by its frosting!
## Judging
All attendees may judge submissions via our online ballot. Winners are chosen by popular vote. All prizes will have first and second place winners, except for our special JH 150 prize. There will be one JH 150 grand prize winner.
## 2024 Winners
### Best in Show
**First Place:** *The Lorax* (Cassie Peterson, Julianna Smith, & Eliza Stokes)\
**Second Place:** *Winnie the Pooh* (Katie Xie, Alexis Zhang and Ruvimar Acevedo Martinez)
### Best Literary
**First Place:** *Moby Dick: Ahab’s Revenge* (Holly Tominack)\
**Second Place:** *How to Eat Fried Worms* (Maren Bohan)
### Best Effort
**First Place:** *The Count of Monte-Crusto* (Sam Bessen)\
**Second Place:** *Dune* (Samantha Godinez)
### **Special Library Jury Prize**
*The Hunger Games* (Amy Kronenberg, Abby Russman and Zoe Seely)
### Most Delicious
**First Place:** *Sweet Bean* *Paste* (Kristen Corlay and Emily Nakayama)\
**Second Place:** *Frankenstein: The Sub-Lime* (Katherine Wang)
### Funniest/Pun-iest
**First Place:** *What Ronnie D Owes Me* (Sarah Annis and Ying Qin)\
**Second Place:** *Don Quicheote (*Kim Le)
### Best Vegan
**First Place:** *The Secret Garden* (Katherine Budinger & Elena Echavarria Gil)\
**Second Place:** *Calvin & Hobbes* (Phoebe More)
## FAQs
- Who can compete?
Students, faculty, staff, members of donor groups, and alumni of Johns Hopkins University are invited to enter the competition. The general public is welcome to attend the event and cast a vote for their favorites.
- What sorts of desserts can we make?
The sky is the limit! Past entries include flan, cookies, pies, challah bread, cake pops, and traditional decorated cakes.
[Look at past entries on Flickr for inspiration](https://www.flickr.com/photos/hopkinsarchives/collections/72157679982799110/)
- Do I need to bring any supplies with me?
We will provide tablecloths, compostable napkins, plates, forks, knives, and spoons. We will also have on hand a limited number of spatulas and cake servers for you to use. Each entry will also have its very own handmade placard created by our talented Special Collections student staff! If you need to bring specialized equipment to showcase your edible book, then please email Heidi Herr at [hherr1@jhu.edu](mailto:hherr1@jhu.edu).
- What about photographs?
Yes, a photographer will be present at the event! Each edible book will have its own portrait taken. All contestants will receive a link to the Edible Book Fest album and are encouraged to download and share their favorite images. We will also be taking instant photos of each edible book so that all attendees can see what the dessert looked like before it was eaten!
- May I enter more than one dessert?
Of course you may! This is especially important because some contestants like to participate with their friends, but also want to try to make a literary-themed dessert on their own.
- What about allergens?
Yes, we care about allergens and dietary preferences! Please provide us with information about allergens on the registration form. We will be labeling entries that are gluten-free, vegan, or contain nuts. You may also email Heidi Herr at [hherr1@jhu.edu](mailto:hherr1@jhu.edu) regarding the presence of any potential allergens in your edible book.
- Can I change books after submitting an entry form?
Yes. Please contact Heidi Herr at [hherr1@jhu.edu](mailto:hherr1@jhu.edu) by 5pm on Wednesday, March 25 with any book changes.
- Do I need to be present to win?
No, you do not need to be present to win. Participants will be contacted via email with the list of winners. Winners can pick up their prize from Special Collections, receive it through campus mail, or receive it mailed to their home address.
- When do I drop off my edible book?
You can drop off your desserts to the Glass Pavilion starting at 9am on Monday, March 30. Staff will be available to register your entry and help with any set up needs. If you need to drop off your dessert a bit before 9am, that’s cool. Simply leave your entry on a table along with a note stating your name and the book title. Staff will be bringing in supplies between 8:00 and 9am, so your edible book will not be alone for very long!
- What can I win?
So many great prizes! Prize packages will include a country fair-style winner’s ribbon, super cute literary tote bag and canvas pouch, fun and fab food-themed notepads and bookmarks, colorful Squishables, and other delightful surprises!
## 2021 & 2022 Exhibition Galleries
We held these two festivals virtually. Explore the online galleries of submissions below.
[Download The Read It & Eat It 2021 Recipe Book (pdf)](https://tabbcenter.library.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2022/04/Edible-Book-Festival-2021-Web.pdf)
**Tip:** You can view the exhibition in full screen mode by selecting the 3 vertical dots in the bottom bar and choose “Enter Full Screen”
## Photo Albums on Flickr
## 2024
## 2023
## 2022
## 2021
## 2019
## 2018
## 2017
## 2016
## 2015
## Press Coverage
- [Edible-Books Festival: Behind the buttercream](https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/04/03/edible-books-festival-behind-the-buttercream/) (HUB, 2019)\
[Literature-Inspired Creations Take the Cake in 5th Annual Edible Books Festival](https://hub.jhu.edu/2018/04/09/edible-books-festival-2018/) (HUB, 2018)\
[Devour a book at the Edible Book Festival](https://www.wypr.org/post/devour-book-edible-book-festival) (WYPR, 2018)\
[Great literature bake off: Johns Hopkins bakers create delightful desserts inspired by books](https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/04/02/edible-book-festival-cake-bakeoff/) (HUB, 2017)\
[Read it and eat it: Hopkins hosts annual ‘Edible Books’ contest](https://hub.jhu.edu/2016/04/01/edible-books-cake-festival/) (HUB, 2016)
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