2013 Literary Events

Below are listings for book festivals, writers’ conferences, book fairs and more. Please comment if we left out an event you’re aware of. 

MARCH

March 20-24
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

Founded in 1986, this French Quarter festival includes five days of literary sessions, theater performances, culinary demonstrations, walking tours, literary late nights and concludes with a Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest in Jackson Square.

APRIL

April 10-12
Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival

Celebrating over 40 years of promoting excellence in children’s literature, this festival is held at the Thad Cochran Center at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

April 18-May 18
To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, starts its annual performances of To Kill a Mockingbird April 18 at the Old Courthouse Museum. Shows run Thursday through Sunday, ending May 18.

April 19
Kentucky Writers Conference

A project of the Southern Kentucky Book Festival, the Bowling Green conference includes free workshops and sessions open to the public.

April 20
Alabama Book Festival
The state’s premier book festival will be held in downtown Montgomery at Old Alabama Town, and featured authors include Sonny Brewer, Therese Anne Fowler and Michael Morris.

April 20
Southern Kentucky Book Fest

One of the state’s largest literary events, Book Fest is held annually in Bowling Green during National Library Week and hosts authors of all genres. Past authors include Sue Grafton, Pat Conroy, Rick Bragg, Scott Turow and R.L. Stine.

April 25-27
Alabama Writers Symposium

Held each spring in Monroeville, the birthplace of Harper Lee, the symposium presents writers, songwriters, scholars and musicians. This year’s guests include Rick Bragg, Cassandra King, Sue Walker and more at Alabama Southern Community College.

MAY

May 17-19
SC Book Festival

Columbia, South Carolina’s annual festival presents a diversified group of authors, poets and scholars free of charge, in addition to panel discussions and presentations on a variety of popular genres and literary topics, from the latest trends in new fiction to regional favorites to outstanding poetry performances at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

JULY

July 20-21
Tennessee Antiquarian Book Fair

Featuring talks on book collecting and history, this fair also includes booksellers from around the country at Monterey Station in Cowan, Tennessee.

July 23-August 4
Sewanee Writers Conference

Established thanks to the estate of the late Tennessee Williams, this conference gathers distinguished faculty to provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures in poetry, fiction and playwriting at the University of the South. This year’s faculty includes Jill McCorkle, Tim O’Brien and Alice McDermott.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

August 30-September 1
Decatur Book Festival

The largest independent book festival in the country with 14 stages packed with authors, live music, poetry readings, panel discussions, signings and cooking demonstrations, this Georgia festival also includes a “Rare and Collectible” book fair and writers’ conference.

September 3-8
Tennessee Williams Tribute & Tour of Victorian Homes

Held in Tennessee Williams Childhood Home each year, this event includes theater performances, parties, tours and more.

OCTOBER

Date TBA
Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

Playwright Tennessee Williams spent his childhood in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and each year the town celebrates one of his works with speakers, readings, porch plays, an acting contest and more.

NOVEMBER

November 2
Louisiana Book Festival

Louisiana’s free literary celebration offers sessions with writers, poets and storytellers, plus literary activities, exhibitions and demonstrations at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge.

November 8-10
Georgia Literary Festival

The annual Georgia Literary Festival will be held for the first time in Milledgeville, the hometown of Flannery O’Connor. This festival focuses on homegrown authors, and over the course of three days offers readings, storytelling, theatre, a book sale, lectures, author appearances and signings, craft demonstrations, children’s activities exhibitors and more.

November 15-16
Kentucky Book Fair

This fair includes approximately 150 authors each year at the Frankfort Convention Center.

JANUARY

January 9-19, 2014
Key West Literary Seminar

This event’s flagship program is a four-day seminar where readers from all over the world join the best writers of our time for readings, discussions, lectures and parties. A Writers’ Workshop Program also takes place, with writers of all levels meeting in small groups with esteemed faculty. The theme for 2014 is “The Dark Side” with special guests Lee Child, Gillian Flynn, Sue Grafton, Joyce Carol Oates and Scott Turow.