8th annual Art Lit 2026 invites the community to celebrate reading, art, and nature from January through February

Broward County, Florida – Broward County Libraries and the City of Pembroke Pines are preparing to welcome residents into a season of reading, art, and outdoor reflection with the return of the 8th Annual Art Lit festival and the launch of One Book One Broward 2026. Together, the initiatives invite people of all ages to slow down, explore South Florida’s natural landscape, and reconnect with stories rooted in land, heritage, and community.

The centerpiece of the celebration will take place on January 10, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Southwest Regional Library in Pembroke Pines. Located at 16835 Sheridan Street, the library will transform into a lively gathering space for a free community festival that blends visual art, literature, and cultural traditions. Organizers describe Art Lit as a space where creativity and storytelling meet, offering hands-on experiences that are both educational and welcoming.

This year’s Art Lit festival centers on themes drawn from native wetlands and long-standing traditions connected to seeds, planting, and growth. Attendees can expect a full day of activities, including live performances, interactive literature workshops, and art projects designed for children and adults alike. Food trucks, local vendors, and face painting will add to the festive atmosphere, making the event a destination for families and casual visitors as well as avid readers.

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Art Lit 2026 also serves as the official kickoff for One Book One Broward, the countywide reading initiative that runs from January 1 through February 28, 2026. The program encourages everyone who lives, learns, works, or spends time in Broward County to read a shared selection of books and take part in related discussions and programs. The goal is to foster connection through a common reading experience while highlighting South Florida’s outdoor spaces and cultural diversity.

This year’s One Book One Broward theme, Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection, reflects a growing interest in how place shapes identity and resilience. The adult selection guiding the initiative is “The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson, a novel known for its matrilinear storytelling and exploration of cultural memory tied to land and seeds. For younger readers, the companion book “The First Blade of Sweetgrass” by Suzanne Greenlaw and Gabriel Frey offers an accessible entry point into similar themes of nature, heritage, and belonging.

Throughout January and February, residents will have opportunities to participate in book discussions, presentations, and programs held in a variety of outdoor and community settings. From sawgrass marshes to seagrass-lined shores, activities will take place along boardwalks, trailheads, and beaches, encouraging participants to engage with literature while surrounded by the landscapes that inspire it.

Organizers say the initiative is designed to go beyond reading alone. By pairing stories with shared experiences, One Book One Broward aims to support cultural heritage preservation, promote understanding across different perspectives, and strengthen social bonds. The program also emphasizes the importance of spending time outdoors, especially in South Florida’s unique ecosystems.

The Art Lit festival itself reflects these goals, bringing together art, storytelling, and hands-on learning in a way that is open and inclusive. By hosting the event at a public library and offering free admission, Broward County Libraries and the City of Pembroke Pines hope to remove barriers and invite broad participation from across the community.

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More information about Art Lit 2026 and the One Book One Broward initiative is available at ArtLit.Broward.org. Residents can also contact the Southwest Regional Library at 954-357-6580 for details about festival programming and related events.

In addition to Art Lit, the City of Pembroke Pines encourages residents to stay connected through its various communication channels. Community members can follow Pembroke Pines Media on YouTube, subscribe to the city’s NewsFlash digital newsletter, read the City Connect digital newspaper, or follow city updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Comcast subscribers can also view local programming on Channel 78.

As the new year begins, Art Lit 2026 and One Book One Broward offer a shared invitation: to read, reflect, and reconnect—with stories, with nature, and with one another.