The National Park Experience Pavilion
Bringing Parks to the People
In partnership with the National Park Service since 1938, Western National Parks Association (WNPA) engages the community to ensure national parks are increasingly valued by all. At Tucson Festival of Books, WNPA brings the parks to the people through the National Parks Experience Stage and The National Park Experience Pavilion. Here are a few highlights of their 2025 schedule of events.
The Canyons of the Colorado River
Kevin Fedarko, Zak Podmore & Yolonda Youngs
Enshrined in public memory and the American psyche, the canyons of the Colorado River have a magnetic draw for visitors and play an integral role in the ecosystem of the American West. Join these authors for an engaging conversation that proves cherished public lands are more than just a destination.
Saturday, March 15 | 1:00 p.m. | National Parks Experience Stage
Moderator: Marie Buck, CEO, WNPA
If you’d like to read ahead, consider picking up Flagstaff resident Fedarko’s “A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon,” a creative non-fiction that combines memoir and science writing to offer readers a rarely-seen, not recommended for most, 750-mile end-to-end trek through one of our state’s most stunning sights. Fedarko was recognized with the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in nonfiction.
Or prepare your questions about how climate change is forcing a reimagining of western water management by reading Podmore’s “Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell’s Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River.” And for a big picture view of the significance of the canyon in our culture, try Youngs’s “Framing Nature,” which traces the iconography of the Grand Canyon in popular imagery and visual media that made it a national and environmental symbol.
People the Planet Needs Now
Dudley Edmondson & Rue Mapp
Join Dudley Edmondson and Rue Mapp for a compelling series of stories highlighting Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC) who are addressing social and environmental issues in innovative ways and, as a result, inspiring global change.
Saturday, March 15 | 4:00 p.m. | National Parks Experience Stage
Moderator: Jason Coochwytewa
Edmondson is the author most recently of “People the Planet Needs Now: Voices for Justice, Science, and a Future of Promise,” compiling personal stories and perspectives of scientists and activists on their work and life experiences. Mapp’s book “Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors” was published in 2022.
Dudley Edmondson will also speak during a celebration of the WNPA’s Youth Essay Contest Winners on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. on the National Parks Experience Stage. For details about the contest, open to Pima County youth in grades 9-12, see the WNPA contest rules. Deadline is February 14.
And more at The National Park Experience Pavilion
Shop The National Parks Store Tent and Hubbell Trading Post Tent, hear rug talks by Navajo trader Wallace James Jr, get books signed and learn from park rangers and community partners to discover valuable information about all the national parks offer. Special activities for Junior Rangers, too.
Thank you to WNPA for Sponsoring the Festival
Books Launching February 4
Children & Teens
Libba Bray - “Under the Same Stars” - Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Kyle Lukoff - “A World Worth Saving” - Penguin Group
Current Issues
Edward Humes - “Total Garbage” - Penguin Group
Mystery/Thrillers
Kate Alice Marshall - “A Killing Cold” - Flatiron Books
Romance
Ali Hazelwood - “Deep End” - Berkley
Adriana Herrera - “A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke” - Harlequin
Science
Neil Shubin - “Ends of the Earth” - Penguin Group
Find the full schedule of presentations and bookmark them to create your festival itinerary. For more information about admission, parking, accessibility, see our FAQ.
In addition, we’re pleased to welcome over 100 Indie Authors to share their books with you during three-hour windows of opportunity in our Indie Authors Pavillion.