Conversation & Community
Dynamic in-person conversations on art, culture, business, history, politics, and more
Founded by Congressman Steve Israel in 2024, Gold Coast Forum fosters the Long Island literary culture first developed with his independent bookstore, Theodore’s Books, in Oyster Bay.
Since 2021, Theodore’s Books has served the Long Island community with a personally curated selection of literature across all genres, a space for book clubs and story times, and an active author events program.
In 2024, Congressman Israel launched the Gold Coast Book Fair, which drew more than 3,000 readers from across the region to hear from 75 authors across a wide variety of topics.
Gold Coast Forum unites the successful Theodore’s events program and the Gold Coast Book Fair under one umbrella, providing Long Island readers and thinkers with a unified platform for engaging discussions and enriching literary experiences.
Gold Coast Forum has three goals:
1. Support and grow our annual Gold Coast Book Fair — the premier literary event in our region (which in 2024 brought together more than 3,000 attendees over three days).
2. Host high-profile authors and literary figures from Long Island and across the country for dynamic conversations on art, culture, business, history, politics, and more. From national political leaders to celebrity chefs and children’s authors, we want to attract a diverse array of voices to spur local dialogue.
3. Strengthen our community’s literary roots through partnerships with local schools, book donations, increasing access to banned books, and more.
Contribute to the Conversation
Make an impact on Long Island’s culture by supporting the work of Gold Coast Forum. Your contributions keep the Gold Coast Book Fair free and open to the public, and bring authors to Long Island year-round for free community events.