Author Talk + Dessert Potluck: Potluck Desserts with Justin Burke

What happens when a potluck becomes more than just a meal?

For baker and writer Justin Burke, his first queer potluck changed his life. A table piled with homemade food became a place for chosen family, connection, and community. Two decades later, that experience inspired his debut cookbook, Potluck Desserts.

Filled with nostalgic, approachable recipes like Lemon-Thyme Bars, Gooey Butter Corn Cake, and Chocolate Cherry Soda Cake, Potluck Desserts celebrates the kind of baking meant to be set down on a crowded table and shared.

So we’re taking Justin at his word and having a potluck of our own.

Bring a dessert to share and join us at Vivienne for a big dessert party celebrating Potluck Desserts. We’ll eat, gather, and talk with Justin about baking, community, chosen family, and the ways we find one another around a table.

Guests are invited to bring a favorite dessert to share (approximately 8–10 servings), along with a small sign identifying what you brought and noting any allergens. Cake, cookies, bars, pie, jello, or that thing everyone always asks you to make—we want it all.

Bringing dessert is encouraged but not required. Come hungry and ready to share as we gather around the table, swap stories, and celebrate Potluck Desserts together.

The evening will include conversation, audience Q&A, and a book signing.