Sunday, October 18, 2026 · 11 AM–4 PM
Downtown Bordentown, New Jersey
Hosted by Austen’s Shelf Tiny Bookshop
There’s just something about fall that makes you want to fall in love with a good book.
The crisp air. The leaves turning gold. A warm drink in your hands. A cozy sweater. A book you can’t put down.
So we decided to bring all of that feeling to life.
Falling in Leaves is Austen’s Shelf’s first-ever autumn romance book festival, a cozy, bookish Sunday in downtown Bordentown filled with romance, authors, books, makers, treats, music, and a little bit of that Stars Hollow magic.
For one day, the street in front of Austen’s Shelf and the Walnut Street area will become a little autumn book town, bringing readers and book lovers together for a day that feels nostalgic, romantic, and wonderfully cozy.
Come spend the day wandering through a collection of local authors, bookish vendors, makers, small businesses, and cozy autumn treats.
You’ll find:
📖 Romance authors & author signings
🍂 Bookish vendors and handmade goods
🧶 Local makers and small businesses
☕ Fall drinks and cozy treats
🥞 A pancake bar
📚 A children's author reading corner
✨ Bookish activities and crafts
💕 Romance panels featuring published authors
🎶 Autumn music and a cozy fall atmosphere
🛍️ Books and special finds inside Austen’s Shelf
And, of course, Austen’s Shelf will be open all day for browsing, shopping, and finding your next happily ever after.
Author Panels!!
Throughout the day, we’ll be hosting special author conversations celebrating romance in all its forms.
Cozy Magic: A Conversation About Romance & the Magic of Autumn
12:30 PM
Come settle in for a cozy conversation with romance authors Stacy Sivinski of Crescent Moon Tea Room and Morgan Elizabeth of Meet Cute Magic.
The panel begins at 12:30 PM, with an optional wand-making craft beginning at 11:30 AM.
Your registration includes a book purchase from Austen’s Shelf, with limited spaces available.
More information and registration → https://www.austensshelf.com/events/p/practically-cozy-magic-panel-falling-in-leaves-romance-book-festival
We'll also be hosting a second romance author panel featuring Christy Schillig, Linny Mack, Lily Parker, Erin Baldwin, and Tina Gabrielle at 2pm.
Register Here:
https://www.austensshelf.com/events/p/love-then-and-now-romance-panel
🍁 A Sunday Made for Book Lovers
Falling in Leaves isn't meant to feel like a typical vendor market.
It's meant to feel like your favorite fall Sunday in your favorite little book town.
Think flannels and falling leaves. Books stacked on tables. Authors chatting with readers. Friends wandering from booth to booth. Something warm to drink. A new book tucked under your arm.
It's the kind of day where you can come with your best friend, your mom, your partner, your book club — or just yourself.
Stay for an hour or make a whole afternoon of it.
Come for the books. Stay for the magic.
📍 Where
Austen’s Shelf Tiny Bookshop
230 Farnsworth Avenue, Unit B
Bordentown, NJ
The festival will extend into the street in front of Austen’s Shelf and the Walnut Street area in downtown Bordentown.
Parking will be available throughout the surrounding downtown area.
🍂 Save the Date
Whether you're a lifelong romance reader, a BookTok girlie, someone who buys a book every time you leave the house, or simply someone who loves a beautiful autumn day...
Falling in Leaves is for you.
Come spend a Sunday with us in Bordentown.
We'll save you a spot beneath the falling leaves. ♡