Dallas, October 7, 2025
News Summary
The Foreword Literary Festival is set to debut in Dallas, showcasing queer Vietnamese American writers and literature. Organized by Four Palaces Publishing, the festival will take place over four days, featuring acclaimed authors Truong Tran and Andrew Lam. All events are free to promote accessibility for minority writers and attendees, with a focus on immigrant narratives and cultural identity. Activities include readings, workshops, and discussions aimed at providing a platform for underrepresented voices within the literary community.
Dallas — The Foreword Literary Festival is happening for the first time in Dallas, focusing on queer Vietnamese American writers and literature. The event will run from October 8 to October 11, organized by Four Palaces Publishing, and will feature award-winning authors Truong Tran and Andrew Lam as headliners. All programming for the festival is free to reduce barriers for minority writers and attendees.
Key details and schedule
The festival opens with readings at the University of Texas at Arlington and continues with a mix of student-focused sessions, public readings, conversations, and a hands-on workshop for writers. The festival begins at the University of Texas at Arlington with readings by Truong Tran and Andrew Lam. Day two will cater to students and invited guests, while public programming resumes at The Wild Detectives in Dallas. The final day features a personal essay workshop led by Andrew Lam at Apprentice Creative Space, aimed at helping writers refine their storytelling skills.
Featured authors from San Francisco will lead various sessions throughout Dallas and Arlington. Programming includes readings and conversations focused on themes of queerness, cultural identity, and migration, capped at 50 guests to keep sessions intimate and accessible. Registration for the festival is free, but space is limited, prompting interested attendees to seek more information online.
Organizer purpose and launch
Four Palaces Publishing, the organizer of the festival, was founded in early 2021 to uplift writers from minority backgrounds and tackle publishing industry inequalities. Frederick Tran, executive director of Four Palaces, emphasized addressing inequities in the literary world for marginalized communities. The festival aims to provide writers with tools and platforms to share their stories, reduce barriers to participation, and create sustained attention on underrepresented voices.
Program themes and community focus
Sessions will center on lived experience and literary craft with an emphasis on immigrant narratives, cultural belonging, and the intersections of queerness and heritage. Lam encourages attendance from the Vietnamese American community, highlighting themes related to immigrant narratives, issues of shame, and longing. Readings and conversations will explore how personal and communal histories shape contemporary writing and how writers from minority backgrounds navigate publishing pathways.
Anthology release and thematic emphasis
The festival will also launch Four Palaces Publishing’s debut nonfiction anthology, “When Home Hurts: Solastalgia,” featuring works from 13 first-time authors. The anthology touches on themes of environmental change, displacement, and identity, incorporating the concept of “solastalgia” coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht. The collection is presented as part of the festival’s effort to highlight new voices and to surface essays that connect place, memory, and the emotional impact of environmental and social change.
Accessibility and capacity
All programming for the festival is free to reduce barriers for minority writers and attendees. To sustain intimate conversations and workshops, many sessions are capped at 50 guests. Registration for the festival is free, but space is limited, prompting interested attendees to seek more information online. Organizers note that keeping events free is part of a broader commitment to equity in literary access and development.
Venue summary
- University of Texas at Arlington: Opening readings by headliners.
- The Wild Detectives, Dallas: Public programming and readings resume on day two.
- Apprentice Creative Space: Final-day personal essay workshop led by Andrew Lam.
What to expect
Visitors should expect a short-run festival combining public readings, limited-capacity salon-style conversations, and a workshop designed for writers seeking practical guidance on personal essays. The festival’s programming intentionally centers queer Vietnamese American perspectives and seeks to broaden opportunities for writers from minority backgrounds through free access and targeted programming.
FAQ
- What is the focus of the festival?
- The Foreword Literary Festival is happening for the first time in Dallas, focusing on queer Vietnamese American writers and literature.
- When will the event take place and who is organizing it?
- The event will run from October 8 to October 11, organized by Four Palaces Publishing.
- Who are the headliners?
- Award-winning authors Truong Tran and Andrew Lam are slated to headline the festival.
- Is there a cost to attend?
- All programming for the festival is free to reduce barriers for minority writers and attendees.
- What is Four Palaces Publishing’s mission and history?
- Four Palaces Publishing was founded in early 2021 to uplift writers from minority backgrounds and tackle publishing industry inequalities.
- Where will sessions be held and who will lead them?
- Featured authors from San Francisco will lead various sessions throughout Dallas and Arlington.
- How does the festival begin?
- The festival begins at the University of Texas at Arlington with readings by Truong Tran and Andrew Lam.
- What happens on day two?
- Day two will cater to students and invited guests, while public programming resumes at The Wild Detectives in Dallas.
- What are the themes and capacity limits for sessions?
- The festival includes readings and conversations focused on themes of queerness, cultural identity, and migration, capped at 50 guests.
- What is featured on the final day?
- The final day features a personal essay workshop led by Andrew Lam at Apprentice Creative Space, aimed at helping writers refine their storytelling skills.
- Who does the festival encourage to attend and why?
- Lam encourages attendance from the Vietnamese American community, highlighting themes related to immigrant narratives, issues of shame, and longing.
- Will there be a book launch?
- The festival will also launch Four Palaces Publishing’s debut nonfiction anthology, “When Home Hurts: Solastalgia,” featuring works from 13 first-time authors.
- What topics does the anthology explore?
- The anthology touches on themes of environmental change, displacement, and identity, incorporating the concept of “solastalgia” coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht.
- What is the overall aim of the festival?
- The festival aims to provide writers with tools and platforms to share their stories.
- How do I register?
- Registration for the festival is free, but space is limited, prompting interested attendees to seek more information online.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Festival | Foreword Literary Festival |
| Focus | Queer Vietnamese American writers and literature |
| Dates | October 8 to October 11 |
| Organizer | Four Palaces Publishing |
| Headliners | Truong Tran and Andrew Lam |
| Cost | All programming is free |
| Primary venues | University of Texas at Arlington, The Wild Detectives (Dallas), Apprentice Creative Space |
| Anthology | “When Home Hurts: Solastalgia” — 13 first-time authors |
| Session cap | Most sessions capped at 50 guests |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Hay Festival Expands with New Editions in Ukraine, Panama, and Spain
Foreword Literary Festival Celebrates Vietnamese American Literature
Hay Festival Forum Dallas to Celebrate Literature and Culture
DaVerse Lounge Relaunches with All-Ages Storytelling Event
Additional Resources
- The Barbed Wire: Texas State Fair Inflation Attendance Prices
- WFAA: Viral Posts Spark Debate Over State Fair of Texas Attendance Costs
- KSAT: Texas Eats – Haunted Restaurant and Top Bites at the State Fair 2025
- Express News: Are Texas State Fair Prices Too High?
- Texas Monthly: Texas State Fair – Deli Mex Tacos at Smokey John’s
- Wikipedia: Texas State Fair
- Google Search: Texas State Fair 2025
- Google Scholar: Texas State Fair
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Texas State Fair
- Google News: Texas State Fair 2025
Author: STAFF HERE DALLAS WRITER
DALLAS STAFF WRITER The DALLAS STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREDallas.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Dallas, Dallas County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the State Fair of Texas, Deep Ellum Arts Festival, and Dallas International Film Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Dallas Regional Chamber and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, plus leading businesses in telecommunications, aviation, and semiconductors that power the local economy such as AT&T, Southwest Airlines, and Texas Instruments. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREHouston.com, and HERESanAntonio.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
