Celebrating the written word since 1989.
VISIT THE FESTIVAL WEBSITE
WWW.SOFESTOFBOOKS.ORG
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2026 dates to be announced in January!
Vanderbilt University Presents:
The Southern Festival of Books,
a program of Humanities Tennessee
The Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word is among the oldest literary festivals in the country, annually welcoming hundreds of authors and thousands of visitors to downtown Nashville each October.
The Festival is free and includes performance stages, food trucks, and loads of publishers and booksellers.
Stay up to date and subscribe to SFB emails. We also post updates here and here.
In 2026, we look forward to celebrating the written word with you downtown Nashville at the Bicentennial Mall, Tennessee State Museum, and Tennessee State Library and Archives.
View some past sessions on the FESTIVAL’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
SUBMIT A BOOK
The public book submission window opens January 1, 2026. Thanks for your interest in the Festival!
BE AN EXHIBITOR
If you are a bookseller, publisher, press, literacy organization, or a company with book-related products, we invite you to rent a booth at the 2026 Southern Festival of Books. Registration will open in April 2026.
DONATE OR SPONSOR
Your gift helps ensure that this Festival remains FREE to all attendees, this year and for years to come. It is our mission to make this experience accessible to as many people as possible, of all ages and backgrounds. Thank you in advance for your commitment to The Southern Festival of Books.
To learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact sofestofbooks@humtn.org.
AUTHORS IN THE ROUND
Authors In The Round is a special event dinner that provides vital funding for the Southern Festival of Books.
Contact sofestofbooks@humtn.org for sponsorship opportunities or to be added to the invitation list.
VOLUNTEER
The Southern Festival of Books relies on hundreds volunteers to help the event run smoothly. Opportunities posted late summer 2026.
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