Mississippi’s notorious literary lawn party is set to return this weekend for its eighth year, resuming for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mississippi Book Festival will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 20, with plans to host thousands of readers and over 170 authors at the state capitol grounds. Attendees will be invited to attend 40 discussion panels, book signings, and four workshop events.
Headliners for the festival include world-renowned writers Jericho Brown, Jennifer Egan, Kiese Laymon, Lauren Groff, and Alice Walker.
Those who attend the free event can also enjoy food from local vendors, live music, and watch live art demonstrations. A Kids Corner with colorful books, storytelling sessions, and crafts will be available inside the State Capitol building and several surrounding tents.
Here’s the schedule for Saturday’s Mississippi Book Festival:
Panel Discussions
Starting at 9:30 a.m.
- Civil Rights at C-Span/Old Supreme Court
- Conversation with Ellen Gilchrist at State Capitol 201 H
- Conversation with Jericho Brown at Galloway Reception
- Ride The Overground Railroad at Galloway Fellowship Center
- KidNote: Crafting Stories with Matt de la Peña at Galloway Sanctuary
- Conversation with Candice Millard at State Capitol 113
- Middle Grade Dreams at State Capitol 201 A
- Welcome to The Final Girl Support Group at State Capitol 103
- Mississippi Sports Legends at State Capitol 204
Starting at 10:45 a.m.
- Picture This! at Galloway Fellowship Center
- Historical Fiction at State Capitol 201 H
- Memoir at STATE Capitol 201 A
- Humor & Hope at Galloway Reception
- KidNote: Drawing History at Galloway Sanctuary
- Food & Faith with Michael W. Twitty at State Capitol 113
- Conversation with Lonnie G. Bunch III at C-Span/Old Supreme Court
- Speculative Fiction at State Capitol 204
Starting at 12:00 p.m.
- Short Stories at Galloway Reception
- Poetry at State Capitol 201 H
- Pride & Prejudice at State Capitol 201 A
- The Art of Bookmaking at State Capitol 204
- Literary Fiction at State Capitol 113
- World War II from the Air at C-Span/Old Supreme Court
- Talk From the Start at Galloway Fellowship Center
- Conversation with Alice Walker at Galloway Sanctuary
Starting at 1:30 p.m.
- Book Club Picks at State Capitol 201 A
- Photography: A Picture of History at State Capitol 201 H
- Debut at State Capitol 204
- Conversation with Jonathan Martin at Galloway Reception
- Grisham Writers in Residence at Galloway Fellowship Center
- Uniquely American History at C-Span/Old Supreme Court
- (Re)shaping Public Discourse at State Capitol 113
- The Writing Matrix with Lauren Groff at Galloway Sanctuary
Starting at 2:45 p.m.
- Young Adult at State Capitol 201 H
- Decidedly Southern at State Capitol 204
- History on the Open Sea at C-Span/Old Supreme Court
- Welty Foundation Speaker: Jennifer Egan at Galloway Sanctuary
- Blackout at Galloway Reception
- Crime & Narrative at Galloway Fellowship Center
- The Great Migration at STATE CAPITOL 113
Starting at 4:00 p.m.
- Rhythms of a Region at State Capitol 201 A
- Remembering Willie Morris at State Capitol 201 H
- The State of Political Journalism at C-Span/Old Supreme Court
- Catalysts for Change at State Capitol 204
- The Art and Life of Walter Anderson at Galloway Reception
- Reflecting Mississippi at Galloway Sanctuary
- Taste of the South at State Capitol 113
- Southern Fiction at Galloway Fellowship Center
Workshop Events
Located in State Capitol 103
- 11:30 a.m. – Documentary Screening of “Promised Land: A Story of Mound Bayou”
- 1:30 p.m. – Teen Writing Workshop
- 2:45 p.m. – Write What You Imagine
- 4:00 p.m. – USM Writing Workshop
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