10/04/2025
It’s hard to believe it’s already been a week since the most magical day of the year!
As a board, we have SO many people to thank and SO much to be grateful for! We have spent the last week catching up on much needed sleep and tasks in our lives while reflecting on everything we saw unfold in front of our eyes. We are working our way through the posts and messages (all filled with gratitude and hope) and we just want each of you to know how meaningful your kind words truly are.
September 27, 2025 was the 12th annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, but it was so much more than a one day event! It was a celebration of stories and those who create them, of imagination, and of the true community this festival brings together. It gives us SO much hope for the future. Our hearts are so full and we have so many people to thank.
To our extraordinary, talented, and hard working authors and illustrators: you are wonderful in every way! Each of you brings your own unique voice and experiences to life for readers. You are a testament to the power of words which inspire, teach, heal, and connect. Watching children and book loving grownups light up as they met you was EVERYTHING. You bring out the most beautiful parts of humanity. Being able to bring you all together, to be in community with one another as well as readers of all ages, is a gift we will always remember. Thank you for sharing your books and yourselves with all of us.
We see you.
We are so thankful for you.
We will always be here to support and uplift you! We truly love you more than words can express.
To the Town of New Castle, NY (including Town Supervisor Victoria Tipp, Town Adminiatrator Robert Deary, Chief Caroll and the New Castle Police Department, the Department of Public Works, the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the merchants, and the Chappaqua Library Children's Room & Chappaqua Library): thank you for your unwavering support, expert coordination, and true care. Everything you all did behind the scenes & at the festival allowed us to welcome thousands of visitors to this remarkable town safely and joyfully!
To all of our incredible sponsors and community partners: thank you for believing in our mission and making it all possible. Each of you created such special experiences for the families at your booths! You radiated joy and compassion, and your support helped us to create an unforgettable day that so many families look forward to all year.
To all of our many volunteers: thank you for proudly wearing the blue festival shirt and representing all that is good in the world! We could not have executed this day without you. Your time, positive energy, and kindness made everything run smoothly. We are so grateful for your commitment and dedication to making this festival happen!
To the thousands of families and young readers who came from near and far: thank you for filling the festival with book joy, laughter, curiosity, and love. We are beyond thrilled that you enjoyed the day, connected with so many authors & illustrators, found favorite new books, and experienced all the festival had to offer (including the huge, exciting, and interactive camp area provided by our title sponsor- Kiwi Country Day Camp- all the crafts and activities within the family fun zone provided by our sponsors, and all of the delicious food provided by the food trucks) YOU are why we do this, and we can’t wait to see you next year (official date coming soon).
To Dawn Evans Greenberg (CCBF founder & former director) and previous CCBF board members: your vision and dedication laid the most beautiful foundation for the success of this day. Because of you, the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival has grown into a beloved tradition that will continue to spark imaginations, spread book joy, and remind people of the importance of connecting with the creators of those books.
We still have a million more individual thank yous to send (including to our families and friends who were there for us through the year). We tried to sum up our thoughts here, and hope we did not miss anyone. Just know- whatever your involvement in this day- we are grateful for you!
We are feeling the kind of hope that only exists when you see what’s possible when a community comes together. We will be posting a reflection form this week and would love to hear your stories and suggestions. Please keep an eye out for that, lots more pictures, and next year’s date!
Thank you all for being part of the story of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival! Here’s to the many memories we made, to the lives you have all changed, and to the stories still waiting to be told.
With love and gratitude,
Elizabeth Blye (executive director) & the Board of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
Linda Bosco , Arianna Grassia, Jyoti Gopal , Eric Rosswood Joanna Labendz Segal
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*photo credit: Dave Taber (https://www.shotsofthegame.com/Photographer)
