In a writing career of three decades, I've attended a great many literary festivals. Despite the fact that the Southern Festival of Books is one of the largest such events in the nation, I can say with ease that it is, by a good distance, the most elegantly organized and realized that I know of.
— Reynolds Price
About the Southern Festival of Books
The Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written WordSM is a three-day literary Festival celebrated each year during the second full weekend of October. It is free and open to the public. No advance registration or tickets are required. All seating is on a first-come basis.
The Festival annually welcomes more than 200 authors from throughout the nation and in every genre for readings, panel discussions and book signings. Book lovers have the opportunity to hear from and meet some of America's foremost writers in fiction, history, mystery, food, biography, travel, poetry and children's literature among others.
In addition to the many authors on the program the Festival hosts popular book exhibitors and programs three performance stages throughout the event. The cooking stage highlights talented chefs preparing and discussing recipes from the latest food and cookbooks. The Café Stage features music by some of the area's most talented musicians and poets. Special events for children are planned on the Children's Stage including appearances by favorite characters and birthday parties to celebrate the anniversaries of great children's books.
The Southern Festival of Books grew out of Humanities Tennessee's involvement in Homecoming '86, a statewide celebration of community history and community enrichment. The first Festival was held in Nashville in 1989. The Southern Festival of Books is one of the first book festivals of its kind, and over the years several other organizations and humanities councils have used the Southern Festival of Books model to create book festivals in their states.
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