Bookselling chain Barnes and Noble held its first annual Teen Book Festival at locations across the country from June 10–12. Each store had different ways of celebrating the same thing: a passion for YA literature. Store visits from authors Sarah Dessen, Rick Yancey, and many more were highlights in some regions, while other stores held activities, giveaways, and cosplay events. See photo highlights from the festival below.

Author Sarah Dessen speaks to a crowd at the Clifton, N.J. store.

Teen festival-goers show off some of the swag they picked up in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Rick Yancey (The 5th Wave) gets a photo in with a few fans at the Ocala, Fla., location.

Festival attendees experiment with the exclusive B-Fest Snapchat filter at the Tupelo, Miss., store.

Eragon author Christopher Paolini addresses the crowd of 250 in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Teens gathered around freebies exclusive to the B-Fest event at the Orlando, Fla., location.

Author Alethea Kontis promotes her titles at the Melbourne, Fla., store.

Two teens show their B-Fest spirit at the San Antonio, Tex., location.

YA author Stephanie Perry Moore (l.) with Morrow, Ga., store manager Kimberly Keaton.

At Barnes & Noble at The Summit in Birmingham, Ala., volunteers from local organization Make Birmingham showed attendees how to create their own handbound book using the Japanese stab binding method.

Cosplayers strike a pose in Mandeville, La.