The Walk of Fame
Your face on a 6-foot banner. Your name on a gold star.
This is real — from our own ballroom. Premium and VIP honorees line the hall on six-foot banners, and every VIP takes home their own Walk-of-Fame star.
One evening a year, the Independent Press Award and NYC Big Book Award bring their honorees — from six continents — under a single roof, onto one red carpet.
Spin the globe above — every gold line is a place a winner calls home. The Awards Dinner is the night those distances disappear.
You in front of the Award Screen. Award-winning Photographer snapping shots of you with your newly presented stage award. This is the arrival most authors only dream about — and for one night, it has your name on it.
This is the room the moment before your category is called — Gabby Olczak, Co-Founder and President, at the podium. Put your name or your book on the screens and watch.
Now imagine the room going quiet, and Gabby reading your name aloud from that podium.
A black-tie optional evening built to celebrate you — choose a reason and see what's waiting.
No livestream, no PDF certificate. Your name is read aloud and you walk up on stage to take your award in front of the whole room — the moment most authors never get.
This is real — from our own ballroom. Premium and VIP honorees line the hall on six-foot banners, and every VIP takes home their own Walk-of-Fame star.
A pre-ceremony cocktail reception with passed hors d’oeuvres while a New York Emmy-nominated photographer captures you in front of the awards screen — your photos, free of charge.
Join us for an exclusive, high-level evening of networking, conversation, and celebration with Gabby Olczak, President of the NYC Big Book Award and Independent Press Award. This VIP Cocktail Reception offers a unique opportunity to connect directly with one of the leading champions of independent and mainstream publishing.
A sit-down dinner as the honors are read — and one by one, every awardee walks the stage to receive their award before the room.
The dance floor opens the moment the ceremony ends — gift bags, door prizes, and a celebration with guests from six continents.
Four hours that turn a line on your cover into a night you'll be telling people about for years.
An evening of recognition is only the beginning. The honor follows your book into the world — onto covers, screens, and the heart of New York.
The founder of the Independent Press Award and NYC Big Book Award presides over the evening — reading the honors and welcoming every guest by name.
A career publishing professional — NYU-trained, with three decades across the great houses — Ted hosts the room and the introductions that make the night matter.
…together with Jack Olczak & the Printed Word Reviews team, who will see you welcomed, seated, and celebrated.
I had a fantastic time at the Awards banquet and felt truly spoiled. It was a night to remember.— Laurisa Brandt, Honoree
An excellent BookCAMP and a very nice Awards dinner. Gabby really lends you a touch of class.— David Benjamin, Author
The amazing event you created — Jenny and I loved it very much. Thank you once again.— Ernesto Atkinson, Honoree
You all did an amazing job. Just a wonderful event. Thanks for everything.— John Warner, Author
Real moments from last year's Awards Dinner — the stage, the room, the red carpet, and the dance floor.
The Awards Dinner is a separate reservation from the BookCAMP pass. Choose your experience — every tier walks the stage.
The room is set with tables of eight. Buy a full table and it comes with ten seats — yours to fill. Tap any table for its tier, pricing, and reservation link.
The Awards Dinner crowns two days of BookCAMP 2027 — April 9–10 at the DoubleTree, Newark. Sessions, keynotes, literary agents and one-on-one experts, all under one roof.
BookCAMP is a separate pass — and pass holders receive discounted tickets to the Awards Dinner & Ceremony.