South Carolina Book Festival

About the Festival

Friday, May 16th  Events:
 Featured workshops at various locations around the Columbia area during the day will be offered for a nominal registration fee. In the evening, join us for the annual opening night reception presented in partnership with the University of South Carolina University Libraries.  More details will follow as the festival schedule develops in the coming months.  Please note that Exhibits are closed to the general public on Friday, May 16th.  This day features registered, ticketed events only.  The schedule page will have additional information about these opportunities in the coming months.

Saturday, May 17th and Sunday, May 18th: All events are free and open to the public. The weekend activities feature award-winning authors discussing their works and other interesting literary topics. Book signings by featured authors take place in  the Exhibit Hall. More than 90 exhibitors set up their booth spaces where you can shop all weekend long for that special literary treat.  An Antiquarian Book Fair is located within the Exhibit Hall featuring rare and collectable books.  All events are open and free to the public; all seats for author presentations are first-come basis. Visit our schedule page for more information as time draws nearer.

About the presenters:

The festival presents a diversified group of authors, poets, and scholars to the readers and writers of South Carolina free of charge. The ^SCBook Festival offers 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. You will even have a chance to ask the authors questions and to have books autographed after the presentations! You can visit our authors page to see which authors visited SC in previous years.

Buying and shopping for books.

During the festival, the Exhibit Hall will be packed with Exhibitors representing the very best of local, regional, and national book dealers, antiquarians, publishers, independent presses, writers' collectives, educational groups, individual writers, and non-profit organizations. An Antiquarian Book Fair is located within the Exhibit Hall featuring rare and collectable books. Book lovers’ treats can be found everywhere, from your favorite author’s new book to that special  literary find. You may even find yourself inspired by local writers, non-profits, and publishers present who are always willing to engage book festival participants. You can literally shop until you drop! See who was here in previous years by visiting our exhibitors page.

Autographings:

During the festival, all of our featured authors participating in the panels are on our Signing Schedule. All signings are held in the Exhibit Hall at the Signing Table Area. Many exhibitors also have individual signings held at their booths. Please check all the exhibitors to see which authors might be visiting their booths at times throughout the festival. You are encouraged to purchase books at the festival in the Exhibit Hall as well as being invited to bring your favorite copies of your books from home for authors to sign. Bring a book bag to carry your purchased book selections or you can receive a ^SCBook Festival Book Bag at the Friends of the ^SCBook Festival booth for a small donation.

Click here for a full schedule of events.