The Virginia Festival of the Book, a program of Virginia Humanities, has been bringing together writers and readers to promote and celebrate books, reading, literacy, and literary culture every March since 1995, making 2024 the 30th annual festival.
The festival—which will take place from March 20 to 24 in Charlottesville—has announced the full program for 2024. The schedule includes more than 80 events featuring 130 authors including nine festival preview events happening in the weeks leading up to the festival.
“Festival preview events are part of an intentional effort to reach people all across the state,” said festival director Kalela Williams. “We want to bring the festival to them and meet them where they are. ”Nine festival preview events will take place in Crozet, Staunton, Nelson County, Alexandria, Richmond, Grundy, Charles City, and Lynchburg.
“We’re committed to making the festival as accessible as possible,” Williams continued. “That’s why the vast majority of our events are free and open to the public, with no ticket or advance registration required.” Events span the full gamut of literary genres featuring authors of historical fiction, romance, poetry, science fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, mystery/crime, and more.
Tickets are required for select headline events including Senator Danica Roem, U.S. Poet Laureate and recent MacArthur “Genius” awardee Ada Limón, bestselling author and columnist Roxane Gay, and Percival Everett, author of Erasure, which the major motion picture American Fiction is based on.
The festival’s thirtieth anniversary will be celebrated with a 90s-themed rooftop kickoff party and a gala event called “Wordy Thirty,” which will include a DJ, dancing, two VIP lounges, typewriter poets, and an exclusive signing salon with festival headliners.
Details and tickets for all 2024 Virginia Festival of the Book events are available at www.VaBook.org.
