An all-day event celebrating Vietnamese diasporic literature.

Sunday, April 12, 2026
10:00am - 5:00pm
Bower's Museum
2002 N Main St., Santa Ana, CA

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Opening the Future: A Conversation on Literary Translation  (Mở Tương Lai: Đối thoại về Dịch thuật Văn chương)*

10:20 AM - 11:30 AM - Norma Kershaw Auditorium

Translation has always played a vital role in introducing readers to unique and diverse stories across time and space. This panel explores how Vietnamese works have been or will be translated into English, to foster greater linguistic, cultural, and historical understanding of our diasporic Vietnamese literary tradition at the half-century mark since the Fall of Saigon. Through translation, these works aim to preserve and celebrate the complexity of our Vietnamese sensibility while allowing layered narratives to cross borders, take root, and flower in evolving landscapes.

Dịch thuật luôn đóng vai trò cốt yếu trong việc giới thiệu đến độc giả những câu chuyện đặc sắc và đa diện từ khắp nơi và mọi thời đại. Buổi thảo luận này liên quan đến các tác phẩm tiếng Việt đã và sẽ được dịch sang tiếng Anh trong những năm gần đây, nhằm thúc đẩy sự hiểu biết sâu rộng hơn trong dòng chính về truyền thống văn học Việt Nam hải ngoại tại cột mốc nửa thế kỷ từ biến cố 1975. Qua lăng kính dịch thuật, các tác phẩm này hướng đến sự bảo tồn những nét sáng tạo phức hợp trong tâm thức Việt, đồng thời giúp những câu chuyện đa tầng và đa nguyên vượt qua các biên giới, để nảy mầm và đơm hoa ở đất mới.

*The panel will be in English with some Vietnamese*

Fresh Off the Press: New Books & Their Authors

12:00 PM - 1:10 PM - Norma Kershaw Auditorium

Extra, extra—fresh off the press! Discover newly published books by authors from diverse backgrounds who share stories rooted in history, identity, and community connection.

This dynamic panel features Phillip Nguyen (VAR), Cindy Nguyen (UCLA), Hugh Nguyen (Orange County Clerk-Recorder), and Jade Hilde (MiraCosta College) as they discuss their latest works and the journeys behind bringing them to print.

From personal narratives to scholarly and community-focused writing, panelists will offer insights into a range of genres and themes straight from the authors themselves. Join us for an engaging conversation, a chance to meet the authors, and an opportunity to explore new reads that reflect the power of storytelling across communities.

The panel will be moderated by Kenneth Nguyen from The Vietnamese Podcast, and there will be a book signing after the panel discussion.

Preserving Roots, Spices, and Recipes: A Cookbook Panel

Preserving Roots, Spices, and Recipes: A Cookbook Panel

Food is more than nourishment. It serves as memory, heritage, and storytelling passed down through generations. Join us through personal stories and culinary traditions as our panelists  will talk about their recipes, techniques, and shared meals served as powerful connections to ancestry while evolving within diasporic communities. From home kitchens to published cookbooks, this conversation celebrates food as a living archive of roots, resilience, and community.

The panel includes:
Tien Nguyen: THE RED BOAT FISH SAUCE COOKBOOK
Andrea Nguyen: Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and Ever-Green Vietnamese
Julie Mai Tran:  Ăn Chưa? A Vietnamese Cookbook

The panel will be moderated by VAALA Board Member, Huong Pham, and there will be a book signing  after the panel discussion.

The Art of Audible Storytelling: Vietnamese Voices in Audiobooks

3:30 PM - 4:40 PM - Norma Kershaw Auditorium

Take off your headphones and join us behind the scenes of many voices of your favorite Vietnamese audiobook narrators. From children’s stories to romance, come meet our narrators live in person and learn their story of how they got into narrating your favorite novels and stories.

The panel will include:
Quyen Ngo (My Vietnam, Your Vietnam and The Mountains Sing
Elyse Dinh (The Crossbow of Destiny and The Monstrous Misses Mai )
VyVy Nguyen (The Fortunes of Jaded Women and The Last Bloodcarver). 

This panel is moderated by Jes Vu from CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) and former VAALA Board member.

VyVy Nguyen

Panelist

Quyên Ngô

Panelist

Jes Vũ

Moderator

Elyse Dinh

Panelist

Children's Storytime

Put on your áo dài and step into a world of storytelling as we celebrate Vietnamese traditions and journeys. This interactive session brings beloved Vietnamese stories to life through engaging readings and fun activities for families and children of all ages.

Storytime will be hosted by Jenni Trang Le and her daughter, Beanie, with the 2026 Miss Vietnam of Southern California Royal Court, for a reading of I Am Both by Kerisa Greene. Guest author Peggy Nguyễn will also be in attendance for a special reading of Zodiac Animals for Movers, combining a lively, movement-filled activity for our young attendees. Free Children’s activities co-presented by the Vietnamese American High School Alliance (VAHSA) will take place in the John M. Lee Court.

The Rise of Vietnamese Protagonists

Journey to the Vietnamese inspired land of Theumas or join a Vietnamese American granddaughter on a rescue adventure throughout Vietnam to save her grandfather, our main characters come from different worlds, time periods, and most importantly - are Vietnamese. Come join us on an adventure through the different stories and worlds of where being Vietnamese gives the main character vibes.  From realistic fiction to fantasy,  joining this panel on their Vietnamese protagonists are the following authors:

Brandon Hoang (The Crossbow of Destiny and Minecraft: One Last Quest )
Van Hoang (The Monstrous Misses Mai and Silver and Smoke)
Vanessa Le (The Last Bloodcarver and His Mortal Demise)

The panel will be moderated by UCLA Professor, Thuy Vo Dang, and there will be a book signing  after the panel discussion.

Find Our Bookstores

Attendees can dive into an exciting selection of books from our official booksellers:  LibroMobile, Tu Luc Bookstore, and damau.org right at the festival. You can also purchase titles in advance or online by visiting or contacting the booksellers directly. Don’t miss the chance to meet your favorite writers in person—the festival features special opportunities to get your books personally signed by the authors.

Listen to our talented audiobook narrators and explore an exciting selection of books from Viet Book Fest—past and present—by visiting Libro.fm.

Venue Sponsor

2025 Sponsors

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Editor Level

Reader Level

Viet Book Fest is made possible by the Stop The Hate Program Funding.