Aug 22, 2026
South Asian American Lit Fest 2026 at South Asia Institute
Chicago's first South Asian American Lit Fest is free Saturday, August 22, 2026 at South Asia Institute, with keynote Fatimah Asghar.
This event has ended
South Asia Institute hosts the first South Asian American Lit Fest on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 1925 S Michigan Avenue. The day runs 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free. Reserve a ticket on their site so they know you are coming.
Fatimah Asghar is the inaugural keynote. They wrote If They Come for Us and When We Were Sisters, and co-created the Emmy-nominated series Brown Girls. Ignatius Valentine Aloysius is curating.
Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events helped fund it, along with English PEN's translation project at the University of Chicago and the Hundal Foundation. More speakers land closer to August.
This is a literary day of panels and readings in the South Loop. Green, Orange, or Red to Roosevelt, then a short walk. Come for Asghar and stay for one afternoon session.
Arts on Devon is the following Sunday if you want a street afternoon after the institute.
When: August 22, 2026, 9:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Where: South Asia Institute, 1925 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
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