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Conference

Fall Fest 2026

Sunday, September 13, 2026 to Tuesday, September 15, 2026

DoubleTree by Hilton Mission Valley San Diego

7450 Hazard Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92108
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Join us for two full days of education, authors and connection with fellow California booksellers on Monday-Tuesday, September 14th-15th. Attendance is free for all CALIBA bookstore members. By registering ahead of time you are helping us plan accordingly. We do require tickets to attend our meal events, which you can purchase through the registration link above.

Sunday, September 13th

Fall Fest Bookstore Tour Schedules

—Click on Blocks for Route Descriptions & Store List—

REGISTER NOW

7:30am: We will start our day by meeting in the lobby of our host hotel: The DoubleTree by Hilton Mission Valley San Diego 

8am: Catch the San Diego trolley and head to the UC San Diego Bookstore

List of stores we will be visiting:

  • The UC San Diego Bookstore (board buses)
  • Mysterious Galaxy
  • Through the Fold
  • Library Shop Mission Hills
  • Lunch at Liberty Station Food Market + You Should Read
  • Hey Books!
  • Book Catapult
  • Meet Cute

3:30pm: Buses will bring us back to the hotel

Please note, we do have ADA compliant seats available on each bus. If you require any special assistance, please reach out to Hannah Walcher so we can accommodate.

If you have any questions or need any special accommodations, please reach out to Hannah.

Please note, we do have ADA compliant seats available on each bus. If you require any special assistance, please reach out to Hannah so we can accommodate: hannah@caliballiance.org.

Monday, September 14th

Fall Fest Day 1 Schedule

—Click on Blocks for Session Descriptions & Presenters—

Click here for Day 2 Agenda

Check in at the front desk to pick up your name badge, meal tickets, and/or Golden Poppy Awards ceremony tickets. Registration is available at the door for bookstore members in good standing.
  • Education Session - First-Time Trade Show Attendee

Brickstone

  • Education Session

Shutters West

  • Author Panel

Shutters East
  • Annual Meeting

Gallery
  • ABA Education Session

Brickstone

  • Education Session

Shutters East

  • Scholastic Author Panel

Shutters West
  • Indie Press Rep Picks Lunch

Gallery
  • Author Showcase: Adult Titles

Shutters West

  • Author Showcase: Children's Titles

Shutters East
  • Author Panel

Brickstone

Join us for a casual meet and greet with California publishers! Connect with your industry neighbors and learn more about our California bookselling community.
Location and more details to come!

Tuesday, September 15th

Fall Fest Day 2 Schedule

—Click on Blocks for Session Descriptions & Presenters—

Click here for Day 1 Agenda

Check in at the front desk to pick up your name badge, meal tickets, and/or Golden Poppy Awards ceremony tickets. Registration is available at the door for bookstore members in good standing.
  • Exhibit Hall Open

Great Room
  • Meet the Committees: Coffee Mixer

Brickstone

—11:30AM-12:30PM: Exhibit Hall Closed—
  • Professional Booksellers School Education Session

Brickstone

  • Education Session

Shutters East

  • Author Panel

Shutters West

—3:00PM: Exhibit Hall Closed—
  • BINC Heads or Tails + Closing Remarks

Brickstone

—Break before Golden Poppy Ceremony: Rest and Get Dinner—

Tuesday, September 15th at 7pm

2026 Golden Poppy Book Awards Ceremony

Dress code: Cocktail Attire

REGISTER NOW

A Checklist for CALIBA Fall Fest

For many first-timers — or even 11th-timers — the annual regional trade show can be an overwhelming maze of education sessions, author panels, trade show exhibitors, and meet and greets. Here are a few reminders and tips to help you navigate Fall Fest 2026.

New This Year

Know What to Expect, Before You Go!

Explore our Fall Fest 2026 webpage and get information on current programming, hotel accommodations, and an overview of Fall Fest 2026. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact hannah@caliballiance.org.

We recommend flying into the San Diego International Airport (SAN). SAN is 7.3 miles away from the DoubleTree by Hilton. 

We are booksellers and we salute your personal fashion sense and originality. So, dress as you would at your store! For your well-being, we suggest wearing comfortable walking shoes.  We advise dressing in layers as Convention Centers are often cold. If you are invited to a publisher dinner, please check with the restaurant to see if they have any specific dress requirements. 

If you are traveling by plane, you may want to leave a little room in your luggage for ARCs distributed by our publishers.  You will be given one tote bag at registration, but it's always a good idea to bring a few more.  We do not have mailing services on site, so please plan accordingly.

If you would like to wear a mask we encourage you to do so, but you must bring your own. 

Our conference hotel is The DoubleTree by Hilton Mission Valley San Diego (7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108). Our room block pricing is $199 a night for single rooms and $219 a night for double rooms.  CALIBA conference rate ends 8/21/2026. Book your room here.
Leading up to Fall Fest, keep an eye on your inbox for possible invites to Publisher Dinners or information on special events happening around Fall Fest.
On Day 2, September 15th: Golden Poppy Awards Ceremony at 7pm 

Exhibit Hall Etiquette

  • Be polite! Don’t take any books without asking.

  • Enter raffles for placing orders and for book discovery

  • Develop a relationship with your pub sales reps, even if you're not the buyer

Wear Your Badge at All Times

You will be given a badge and welcome bag when you arrive at the main lobby of the South San Francisco Conference Center. Please wear your badge at all times. If you registered for any of our ticketed events, your badge will be coded to reflect this. If you still need to purchase tickets, check with registration to see if the event has seats available.

Also, keep an eye out for CALIBA pins and ribbons on other attendees to spot CALIBA board members, Golden Poppy Award committee members, etc.

Come Ready to Do Business & Network

Publishers and sales reps have traveled from far and wide to show off their newest books and sidelines. Come ready to introduce yourself, open an account, place orders, and make appointments. Bring business cards and one-sheets with your bookstore information. 

According to bookseller veterans, the opportunity to meet fellow booksellers is one of the most valuable parts of the event. Don’t be shy! Introduce yourself and be ready to exchange contact information. Along with business cards and/or one-sheets about your bookstore, bring a pen and paper, and swap business cards with everyone you meet. For easy reference and recall later, make a note on the card about what was discussed.  If you’re introverted, just remember: these are your people.

Finally

Take time each night to review your plans for the next day.  We have a number of excellent education sessions and roundtable discussions aimed at many levels of bookselling, from owners and managers to frontline booksellers and specialists. If you have signed up for a ticketed session and will no longer be able to join us, please let us know as soon as possible. Schedule 30 minutes before you go home to review all of your notes and prioritize 2 or 3 action items to tackle once you get back to work.

We will have a QR code linking to an evaluation form for you to fill out after the sessions.  Your feedback is enormously valuable to us, so please take a minute to fill out the evaluation form. 

2026 Fall Fest Scholarships

We are rewarding 2 CALIBA members up to $750 to attend
the 2026 Fall Fest on September 14-15, 2026. 

Applications close July 31st

Please note, if you previously applied for the CALIBA x BINC Scholarship you are automatically entered into this scholarship application and don't need to take any further action. 

Fall Fest Sponsorship & Promotional Opportunities 

COMPLETE THE SPONSORSHIP FORM

COMPLETE THE GALLEY ROOM & PROMOTIONS FORM

Welcome Bag Totes- Qty 200 SPONSORSHIP FILLED

Welcome Bag Inserts - $150: Include 200 inserts in the Welcome Bag. Flat items only. Flyers, postcards, bookmarks, etc.

Galley Table Books - $150: 72 books (3 cartons)

EXHIBIT HALL HOURS

Monday, September 14th: 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Tuesday, September 15th: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm (Closed for Lunch 11:30 am - 12:30 pm)

Exhibitor List To Come

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION

DEADLINES

Monday, August 17th:

  • Rep Picks: share the link to your Edelweiss collection or pdf, and we’ll add it to our website. Please send to valentina@caliballiance.org. $50 late fee.

Friday, August 21st:

Friday, August 28th:

EXHIBIT HOURS

Monday, September 14th:

Move-in: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Exhibit Hall Opens: 4:30 PM 

Exhibit Hall Closes at 6:30 PM

Tuesday, September 15th:

Exhibit Hall Opens: 8:00 AM

Closes for Lunch: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Exhibit Hall Closes: 3:00 PM

DETAILS

Accommodations

DoubleTree by Hilton Mission Valley San Diego, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92109

Public WiFi

Available throughout the conference center. If you need a secure connection, please note it on your registration form.

Electrical Wall/Floor Outlet: $50 a day

Shipping/Delivery Options

Exhibitors may contact Raphael’s Convention Services (RCS) to move your books and sundries. All trade show freight can be shipped to RCS (unless otherwise directed) then delivered to your tables at the show. Exhibitor kit to come with confirmation e-mail.
Show Specials

Email show specials to alecia@caliballiance.org by August 28th to be included on the program website.

Confirmations

Confirmations will be emailed with your table assignments and balance-due statement in July. Name badges are not mailed. They will be available at registration.

Trade show program

Will list all exhibitors and their specials. Sponsors of the Fall Fest are highlighted. 

What's in the Exhibit Hall?

Author Signing? Special ARCs? Amazing swag? Drawings? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the program!
Click on the Reps' Names Below to Access Their Lists 

Day 1 - Indie Press Rep Picks Brunch:

  • Olivia Hansen, Andrews McMeel
  • Patricia Nelson, Princeton University Press
  • TBD, Europa Editions
  • Angela Engel, The Collective Book Studio
  • Vicki DeArmon, Sibylline Press
  • TBD, Columbia University Press Sales Consortium

Day 2 - Rep Picks Lunch:

  • Kristin Rasmussen, Scholastic 
  • TBD, HarperCollins
  • Shannon Grant, Simon & Schuster
  • Julia Callahan, Hachette Book Group
  • TBD, W.W. Norton & Company
  • Dave Ehrlich, Chronicle Books

Fall Fest Trade Show '26 Carpool

Find a carpool buddy to the Fall Fest Conference.

FILL OUT THE FORM

Need a lift to the Fall Fest Trade Show '26? Jump in for a ride that saves emissions, cash, and guarantees some good vibes along the way!

Already filled out the form and want to find a carpool buddy? Click here to access the carpool buddy list.

If you're coming from outside of San Diego, we recommend flying into the San Diego International Airport.

Since you're coming all this way, you might as well explore our host city! 

From Double Tree: The Gateway to San Diego

Local Bookstores:
Local Restaurants:

Product Add-ons

Price
BINC Donation View Product FREE Donation
The Glenn Goldman Scholarship Fund View Product FREE Donation

For More Information:

Hannah Walcher
Hannah Walcher
Executive Director (415)561-7686x101
View Profile

Special Events this Year Include:

Sunday, September 13th- San Diego Bookstore Tours- Join fellow booksellers the day before Fall Fest for a special tour of San Diego Stores. Made possible by our friends and members at the UC San Diego Bookstore!

Tuesday, September 15th- The Golden Poppy Awards Ceremony- Join your fellow booksellers and industry partners at our first in-person Golden Poppy Awards Ceremony celebrating California's authors and illustrators. 

Tickets to these special events are available to bookstore members during Fall Fest Registration.