The inaugural Rough Notes Festival is a three-day event presented by Kinderhook Books. At its core, it’s a literary festival, but it also celebrates the craft of writing in all its forms: songwriting, stand-up comedy, screenwriting, art, design, and more. 

Named after Kinderhook's 19th-century broadsheet, The Rough Notes, the festival is born of a place steeped in centuries of storytelling—from Washington Irving's Kinderhook-inspired folk tales to today's vibrant community of novelists, playwrights, poets, journalists, and historians. 

Through readings, performances, and conversations, the festival explores the journey of narrative—from first idea to finished work—and the role it plays in shaping how we see ourselves and the world.