In its 17th year, the annual Boston Book Festival is making its way into the city.

At one of the biggest book festivals in the nation, writers and readers come together in Copley Square in the Back Bay for author presentations, panel discussions, workshops and family activities that engage in all things books.

Executive Director Jenny Dworkin said the festival is a way of taking a traditionally solitary experience and bringing it into community.

“This festival celebrates books, writers and readers. It transforms the typically solitary act of reading into a shared experience — one filled with conversation, discovery and connection,” she said. “Throughout the day, people come together to exchange ideas, explore new stories, and celebrate what they love about books.

That spirit of community is why we’ve grown year after year. It’s joyous and magical. and it’s truly transformative.”

The festival covers so many book genres (nonfiction, politics, fiction, romance, sci-fi, teen drama and poetry, etc.), which gives attendees many opportunities to dwell in community throughout the day about books.

Some highlights of the festival include New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia speaking on the panel “Middle Grade:

Legends, Myths and Heroes”; author and Harvard University Professor of Social Sciences Brandon M. Terry on the panel “Looking Back at Civil Rights: Division and Disillusionment” with moderator Noelle Trent, president and CEO of the Museum of African American History in Boston; and novelist Princess Joy L. Perry participating on the panel “Fates Entwined: Changing Fortunes and Futures.”

“We’re committed to showcasing a wide range of voices, from debut authors to seasoned bestsellers, so that festival-goers can hear from writers at every stage of their journey,” she said.

Dworkin also spoke about the importance of hosting the book festival every year for community members, especially during this time where book bans are happening in many states.

“Now more than ever, we aim to shine light where darkness is trying to creep in,” she said. “Our vision is clear — to strengthen the vibrancy of Boston as a beacon of ideas and independent thought by promoting civil discourse and inspiring future generations of readers.”

Another major highlight of the festival is securing award-winning television producer Shonda Rhimes as the closing keynote speaker for a ticketed one-night conversation in partnership with GBH, with award-winning journalist Callie Crossley.

This conversation will be happening at the Back Bay Events Center at 180 Berkeley St. in Boston, from 7 to 8 p.m.

Dworkin shared her excitement about Rhimes agreeing to speak at the festival.

“I’m a huge Shonda Rhimes fan. Almost a year ago, I found myself wondering, ‘What’s Shonda up to these days?’ I discovered that ‘Year of Yes’ [Rhime’s book], which I adored when it came out a decade ago, was getting a 10th anniversary edition with 120 new pages of material (this) October, right when our festival takes place,” she said.

“Shonda’s work makes us laugh, cry, swoon and shout, ‘Oh. My. God?!’ Shonda connects us through her storytelling, and there’s truly no one more perfect to close our festival,” she added.

Dworkin said she hopes that the one big takeaway for book festival attendees will be inspiration.

“I want people to come away inspired, transformed by having heard the words of somebody else, having been provoked. I say that in the most positive way — to be provoked means to be shaken out of your status quo…as all good art does, it has lifted up our shared humanity.”

ON THE WEB

Learn more at bostonbookfest.org