Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is the Savannah Book Festival?

The Savannah Book Festival is a fun, informative and entertaining three-day event in February that celebrates books and the written word.  To celebrate our fifth anniversary, we will have five days of Festival activities in 2012. We bring in authors from around the country to Savannah, who then present their work to audiences of booklovers eager to hear what they have to say.

How much does it cost to attend the Savannah Book Festival?

Nothing!  Most of our events are FREE and open to the public, including our Friday Night Keynote Address and the actual Festival on Saturday. Festival costs are unwritten by the generous donations of individuals, corporations and the arts and literary funds in our community. We do hold a few fundraising events throughout the weekend, which this year will include large author receptions as well as intimate gatherings with our participating authors.

What kinds of writers come to the festival?

All kinds: we welcome bestselling authors of popular fiction and non-fiction, as well as poets, historians and other critically acclaimed authors.  There is something for everyone at the Savannah Book Festival.  Some of the renowned writers who have participated in previous Festivals have included Tobias Wolff, Lee Smith, Karl Marlantes, Thomas Chatterton Williams, Roy Blount, Karl Rove, Vince Dooley, the poet laureate of Georgia David Bottoms, Sandra Brown and Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Rolling Stones.

Do the authors sit on panels or give seminars?

No!  Both our author presenters and our festival attendees love the fact that each hour is devoted to one author and his or her work.  We have no panels or symposia, thus each author is free to communicate directly and intimately with the audience.  The upshot: award-winning writers regaling their audiences with stories of their lives in letters.

Do SBF authors do any community outreach while they’re in town?

Our SBF in Schools Program brings award-winning writers into middle and high schools, colleges and universities to talk to students about their work.  Since its founding in 2008, the Festival has introduced thousands of young people to dozens of authors, adding depth and breadth to their curricula.

When does it take place?

This year the festival has shifted to a new weekend perfect for travel to Savannah: President’s Day weekend, February 15-19, 2012.  We will have events on the days prior to and during the holiday weekend—most of which, again, are free and open to the public.

Where does all of this happen?

Most events take place in or around Telfair Square in historic downtown Savannah, GA, where presentation venues include the Telfair Museum; the Telfair’s Jepson Center for the Arts; and Trinity United Methodist Church.

Who comes to the festival?

People of all ages and from all walks of life visit the Savannah Book Festival, with most attendees coming from within 300 miles of Savannah.  But we do bring in visitors from as far away as New York, Chicago, California and Europe.

Can I buy books and have them signed by the author at the Festival?

Yes!  We partner with Ex Libris, the bookstore for the Savannah College of Art & Design, to bring you books by all of the authors featured at the Savannah Book Festival.  The tent is set up so that you may purchase your books, and then walk over to the author’s table to have them signed.

How is the Festival funded?

Unlike Savannah’s other festivals, we do not have a primary donor as a major revenue generating option.  We receive no regular government or corporate funding.  Instead, we rely on the generosity of individual and corporate donors to help keep the festival free and open to the public.

How can I get involved?

If you’d like to help us make the Savannah Book Festival a perennial fixture in Savannah’s cultural life so we can continue to bring America’s finest writers into our lives, we’d love to have your support.  Our Literati—friends who give $100 per person, or $150 per couple—receive wonderful benefits such as exclusive invitations to SBF events featuring nationally renowned authors throughout the year; access to our author hospitality suite on Telfair Square on Festival day; and special access to the organizers of the Festival and advance information regarding all of our events. To find out more, please click here.

We also love our volunteers, and if you’d like to contribute by giving your time, please click here.