DC's First Chocolate City Lit Fest Proved That Black Book Culture Has a Home in the Capital
Panels packed with wisdom, a marketplace full of Black-owned brilliance, and an installation that stopped attendees in their tracks, the inaugural CCLF made its mark on April 25th.
The Chocolate City Literature Festival — CCLF — is the brainchild of Nia Evans, founder of Queens of the Pages Book Club, a DMV-based sisterhood built around Black women reading, reflecting, and connecting through stories. A lifelong reader herself, Evans blended her love of books with a gift for curating experiences and set out to build something D.C. didn't yet have: a dedicated home for Black literary culture, built by the community and centered on the authors who deserve their flowers.
On April 25th, that vision became reality. The inaugural CCLF touched down at Sycamore & Oak in Washington, D.C., and the event was sold out, packed, and electric from the jump. With 60+ Black authors on the literary lineup, a full vendor marketplace, panel programming, activations, and a Friday night rooftop meet and greet at the AC Hotel Capitol Hill Navy Yard, the festival announced itself as exactly the kind of event the culture has been ready for.
THE PANELS SET THE TONE
The programming at CCLF was foundational. Across genres from romance to memoir to fantasy, panelists and moderators (including Talia Cadet, who led a session featuring authors Zee Renée, T'Lyn, Erica Denise, and KuTura B.) delivered the kind of insight that had attendees reaching for their phones mid-panel. The conversations were layered, honest, and deeply specific to the Black literary experience. Wisdom was not in short supply.
THE AUTHORS WHO SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT
The literary lineup at CCLF was stacked. Signing lines stretched long — but the smiles exchanged between authors and readers made every minute of the wait worth it. Names that drew crowds included Jahquel J, K. Wan, Danielle Allen (the Curvy Girl series), Bella Jay, Danielle Brooks, Elle Kayson (Demons Dream), Octavia Grant (Cutthroat), Robbi Renée, Zee Renée, and Tanvier Peart; a mix of established voices and independent authors whose work has built devoted readerships outside of traditional publishing pipelines.
What made the atmosphere distinct was the informality woven between the official programming. Authors weren't only found behind tables, they were spotted moving through the crowd, browsing the marketplace, and engaging with literature the same way their readers do. It reinforced what CCLF was always meant to be: not a transactional book fair, but a genuine community gathering.
A MARKETPLACE WORTH SLOWING DOWN FOR
The vendor hall was its own destination. Black-owned brands spanning bookish goods, beauty, wellness, and art filled the space with the kind of creativity that demands a second pass. This wasn't a perfunctory add-on, yet a showcase of what happens when makers and readers share the same room. Attendees lingered. They came back. The marketplace had that kind of pull.
THE FOOD AND DRINK SCENE DELIVERED
CCLF came to play on the hospitality front, too. The lines were long, but we looked at that as a good sign. The standout? Oxtail pizza! This was a dish that embodied the festival's spirit of doing familiar things in unexpectedly bold ways. Berry lemonade on the side. Bar service for those who came prepared. It was a full experience.
THE WALL ACTIVATION
Ask anyone who attended CCLF about the wall, and watch their face change. This installation became one of the most talked-about moments of the day, the kind of thing that pulls people back multiple times and sits with them long after they've left. Inspirational in the truest sense. Some things are better discovered in person.
What Nia Evans and the CCLF team built on their first run was more than a book fair. It was proof of concept that Black literary culture in D.C. has a community ready to show up, fill a room, support authors, and do it all with joy. If this is what year one looks like, year two is already worth planning around.
