Once Upon a Carnival: A Bookish Night Under the Big Top

Thursday, November 5, 2026 | 4:30–10:30 PM
Arizona Athletic Grounds | Mesa, Arizona
18+ Event

What if your favorite bookish world came to life for one unforgettable night?

Welcome to Once Upon a Carnival, a massive immersive bookish carnival created by Not Your Average Book Club. For one night only, we're transforming the grounds into a vintage-inspired carnival filled with bookish games, live entertainment, authors, shopping, food, interactive experiences, photo opportunities and surprises around every corner.

This isn't just a book market.

It's an entire night built for readers.

Discover an incredible lineup of 70+ attending authors, meet the people behind the stories you love and find your next favorite read.

Wander through a huge marketplace filled with bookish goods, accessories, art, apparel, gifts and plenty of things your bookshelf probably doesn't need... but you're going to want anyway.

This is where the carnival really comes to life. Test your luck and your skills with carnival-style games reimagined with a bookish twist throughout the event.

There will be plenty to discover beyond the market, with activities, bookish freebies and unexpected surprises waiting for you throughout the night.

Expect entertainment throughout the night with live performers bringing even more carnival magic to the grounds.

Step inside the House of Hotties, an immersive experience celebrating the characters and tropes that have completely ruined our standards. From morally gray favorites to golden retrievers, villains, vampires, cowboys and so much more, there's a hottie for every reader. 👀

Lean all the way into the experience with tarot readings, face painting and other fun activations throughout the evening.

Come dressed for the occasion because there will be plenty of places to capture the night with your book besties.

Come hungry! Food and beverage options will be available throughout the event so you can grab something between shopping, games and exploring.

And we're not telling you everything just yet. 👀

Part of the fun of Once Upon a Carnival will be discovering what we've created once you're inside.

Your Carnival experience doesn't have to end when you leave the grounds.

We're partnering with local businesses to create special offers exclusively for Once Upon a Carnival ticket holders, giving you even more ways to make a weekend out of Carnival while supporting local businesses throughout the Valley.

More details and participating businesses will be announced as we get closer to the event.

Grab your book besties. Plan the outfits. Charge your phone. Clear some room on your bookshelves.

Whether you spend the night meeting authors, competing at the carnival games, shopping your way through the market, watching the performers, grabbing food or doing a little bit of everything, Once Upon a Carnival was created to be explored.

Thousands of readers. One massive bookish carnival. One night only.

We'll see you under the big top. 🎪

Event venue & nearby stays

Arizona Athletic Grounds, 6321 South Ellsworth Road, Mesa, United States

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