Upcoming JCO Events
The Vacation Braids Tour!
This summer Jaylene is going on tour!
For many Black girls, summer time means getting "vacation braids!" This protective style can be worn in the pool, at the beach, and is a great way to look cute while not having to worry about styling your hair on vacation! That's why this summer tour for "A Black Girl and Her Braids" is called the Vacation Braids Tour!
See below for details on each event and STAY TUNED for even more exciting events that have yet to be announced!
6/6/26 - Barnes & Noble (New York, NY)
Jaylene returns to her hometown of New York City, at the Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, for a FREE Storytime and Signing! Bring the kiddies, bring the family, bring yourself! The Storytime will take place Saturday, June 6, at 11AM. Learn more info here!
Location: Barnes & Noble, 2289 Broadway, New York, NY 10024
6/6/26 - Summer is Lit! (New York, NY)
Join Jaylene in Brooklyn, NY for the Summer is Lit! outdoor series presented by Stories of a Colorful World! This free event will take place Saturday, June 6, from 12PM - 6PM. Jaylene will do a Story Time for "A Black Girl and Her Braids" at 4PM. Books and JCO Merch will be available for sale and she will sign books!
Location: Franklin Avenue between St. Marks and Prospect Place, Brooklyn, NY
6/13/26 - Schomburg Centennial Festival (New York, NY)
The legendary Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is celebrating 100 years! Their annual literary festival will take place Saturday, June 13th, 11AM - 7PM. It is a FREE, all-day celebration of the African Diaspora through the power of literature, literacy, and community! The Festival combines their literary programming and Black Comic Book Festival with author talks, panels, a cosplay showcase, a marketplace, and a block party to close it all out! Click here for a full schedule of events.
Jaylene will participate in the Kids Clubhouse activation at 2PM with "A Black Girl and Her Braids!" It will be a day of multiple events happening both inside the Schomburg and outdoors. Jaylene's event will take place outdoors on 135th street! She will do a Story Time, perform her original poem that inspired the book, do a signing, and there will be a Braid Parade! Come and walk the parade celebrating your braids - all are welcomed!
Free registration here!
6/20/26 - Bronx Book Festival (Bronx, NY)
Boogie Down Bronx! Jaylene will participate as a featured author at the 9th Annual Bronx Book Festival presented by The Bronx is Reading on Saturday, June 20th, 9AM - 6PM! The festival will feature several authors, including keynote speakers, Kennedy Ryan and S.A. Cosby. Click here for a full schedule of events.
2:30PM - Story Corner: Story Time for "A Black Girl and Her Braids"
3:00PM - Signing for "A Black Girl and Her Braids"
4:00PM - Panel: Black Hair in America ft. Jaylene and Janelle Harper (Salon Saturday), moderated by Kanika Mobley of Stories of a Colorful World
4:30PM - Signing for "A Black Girl and Her Braids"
Location: The Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10452
Tickets may be purchased here!
6/27/26 - Barnes & Noble (Exton, PA)
Jaylene will be at the Barnes & Noble in Exton, PA for a FREE Storytime and Signing! Bring the kiddies, bring the family, bring yourself! The Storytime will take place Saturday, June 27, at 11AM. Learn more info here!
Location: Barnes & Noble, 301 Main St at, Exton, PA 19341
7/18/26 - Barnes & Noble (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Jaylene will be at the Barnes & Noble in Cherry Hill, NJ for a FREE Storytime and Signing! Bring the kiddies, bring the family, bring yourself! The Storytime will take place Saturday, July 18, at 11AM. Learn more info here!
Location: Barnes & Noble, Towne Place at Garden State Park, 911 Haddonfield Rd, Cherry Hill Township, NJ 08002
8/15/26 - Martha's Vineyard Black Book Festival (Oak Bluffs, MA)
"A Black Girl and Her Braids" is going to The Vineyard! Jaylene is a featured author in the Martha's Vineyard Black Book Festival taking place Saturday, August 15, 12PM - 6PM! The MVBBF is located on the beautiful Martha’s Vineyard Island where Black families historically vacation each summer. This is a unique opportunity for both aspiring and well-established Black authors in fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and children to support, share, and celebrate Black literary excellence. There will be panel discussions, fireside chats, and appetizers. Don't miss out on this exciting event celebrating Black voices in literature!
Location: Island Inn Conference Center, 31 Island Inn Rd, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
Click here to purchase tickets! Few tickets left!
9/27/26 - Children's Museum of Manhattan
Join the Children's Museum of Manhattan for a special afternoon with author and performer, Jaylene Clark Owens on Sunday, September 27, at 2PM and 3PM! Based on Jaylene’s viral poem of the same name, “A Black Girl and Her Braids” champions braids of all lengths, looks, parts, and styles, in a vibrant picture book celebrating the versatility of Black hair. Join for a read aloud and spoken word poetry performance from Jaylene!
This event was originally scheduled for February of this year, but was postponed due to the snow.
Location: Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 W 83rd St, New York, NY 10024
Stay tuned for ticket information!