An Evening with Ariel Lawhon: A Six Bridges Book Festival Fundraising Event

CALS is excited to announce acclaimed author Ariel Lawhon as the headliner for the 2026 Six Bridges Book Festival fundraising event, An Evening with Ariel Lawhon, on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at CALS Ron Robinson Theater. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages, and the presentation with Ariel Lawhon begins at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets to An Evening with Ariel Lawhon are now on sale and can be purchased at SixBridgesBookFestival.org.

Ariel Lawhon is an award-winning, critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and have been Good Morning America, LibraryReads, and One Book One County selections. They have collectively been checked out more than 4,700 times by CALS patrons and her novel The Frozen River was in the library system’s Top 10 circulated adult fiction (print) titles of 2025.

Lawhon will be visiting Little Rock while on book tour for her novel The Pirate Queen, which will be published on September 8, 2026. The Pirate Queen is a sweeping historical adventure inspired by the life of Grace O’Malley, the legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people.

“We are beyond excited to welcome Ariel Lawhon to Little Rock and the Six Bridges Book Festival,” said Six Bridges Book Festival Coordinator Drew Herget. “Given the tremendous success of her work and the enthusiasm our patrons have shown for her books, Ariel has been at the top of our Talent Committee’s wish list for years. The opportunity to bring her to our community, especially with a new book on the horizon, is a huge win for the festival and for readers across Central Arkansas.”

An Evening with Ariel Lawhon will serve as the concluding event of the 2026 Six Bridges Book Festival, which will run September 29-October 4. Every year, the Six Bridges Book Festival, presented by the Central Arkansas Library System, hosts approximately 50 authors for free panel discussions, readings, book signings, and other fun and enriching programs. In addition to offering an opportunity for thousands of readers to meet some of their favorite authors, the festival sends many of the presenters into local schools to inspire our next generation of readers and writers. Festival authors will be announced throughout the summer.

All Six Bridges Book Festival events will be free to attend except An Evening with Ariel Lawhon, which will raise funds so the festival can continue providing free public events to the Central Arkansas community.

Event Schedule for An Evening with Ariel Lawhon: 

• 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.: Reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages (including wine and beer)
• 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Presentation with Ariel Lawhon (onstage conversation between Lawhon and moderator)
• 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Book signing (book sales will be offered on site)

Tickets are offered at two tiers: $100 for general admission tickets (which include access to the reception and open seating for one person) and $1,000 for host committee tickets (which include access to the reception and reserved seating for ten people).

The first 60 ticket buyers will receive a complimentary copy of The Pirate Queen included in their ticket purchase. Copies may be picked up at the Main Library between September 14-19, 2026, or at Ron Robinson Theater during the program. Ticket buyers will be notified if they were among the first 60 and eligible to receive a free book.

ASL interpretation will be provided during Ariel Lawhon’s presentation. For other accommodations, call 501-918-3069 or email hzbinden@cals.org seven business days before the program.