Features

Festival Kickoff and Parade

Start your festival experience with a parade!

  • KICKOFF — The Festival opens at 9:00 am with a parade beginning at Smith Park and ending at the Capitol steps, led by superstar author Angie Thomas and her dog Kobe. Parade courtesy of the Jim Hill High School marching band.

Official Panels & Interviews

Lively discussions among Official Panelists and live interviews are held throughout the day at these venues:

  • STATE CAPITOL BUILDING (Rooms 201 A, 201 H, 113, 103, 204, plus the C-SPAN / Old Supreme Court Room)
  • GALLOWAY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (Sanctuary, Fellowship Center, Reception)

Family-friendly Attractions

Kids are the center of attention in lots of ways!

  • CURIOUS GEORGE’S 80TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, 9:30 am, Children’s Tent— Cupcakes and pics with Curious George mark a milestone celebration for the world’s most inquisitive little monkey, whose antics have endeared him to young readers for decades. Join us for an hour-long birthday party with special kid-friendly activities and a book reading by Lynn Hosemann!
  • STORY TIME, 10:45 am & 11:30 am, Children’s Tent — Join educator and author of Coastal Mississippi Alphabet, Rebecca Giles in the shade on the Capitol lawn for story time with fun and interactive activities to follow!

Capitol Showcase

There’s lots to see and do inside the Capitol Building!

  • CAPITOL ROTUNDA, all day, State Capitol Building — Come check out the intriguing exhibits only in the Capitol Rotunda!
  • Mississippi Library Commission: Mississippi Center for the Book Pop-Up Library
  • Frontline PBS
  • de Grummond Collection
  • Mississippi State Department of Health: Free, Walk-in, COVID-19 Vaccination Center

Capitol Tours

This unique opportunity to see the grandeur of Mississippi’s State Capitol building is not to be missed!

  • GUIDED CAPITOL TOURS, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, ground floor visitor desk — Every hour beginning at 10:00 am, take advantage of this unique opportunity to see the grandeur of Mississippi’s State Capitol building!

Toot, Teach & Roll

Come shop at our Young Adult mobile library located at the end of Authors Alley!

  • YA MOBILE LIBRARY, all day — Toot, Teach & Roll is a Young Adult mobile library that travels the metro area promoting academic success for children and adults through innovative techniques. Enhanced learning experiences foster creative minds, one doodle at a time, and give participants the opportunity to explore their imagination.

Authors Alley

More than 60 authors and artists are positioned to sell their most recent works along Mississippi Street.

Booksellers Row

Booksellers are showcased at the center of the festival in our Independent Bookseller Tents, directly across from the Book Signings Tent on Mississippi Street and N. Congress Street.

  • Dogwood Press
  • Livingston Press at the University of West Alabama
  • Cosworth Publishing
  • Great American Publishers
  • ProCluxion Enterprises, llc
  • Lorelei Books
  • Liberation’s Publishing, llc
  • Coffee Prose
  • Turnrow Book Co.
  • Indies United Publishing House, llc
  • Friendly City Books
  • Brother Mockingbird Publishing
  • Lemuria Books
  • University Press of Mississippi

Community Lawn

Organizations (non-profit, government, charitable) have it made in the shade with a provided tent and table on the Capitol grounds. Please note: No sales are allowed in this area.

  • Operation Shoestring
  • Growing Up Knowing
  • Hinds Behavioral Health Services
  • Wesley Biblical Seminary
  • University of Southern Mississippi
  • Mississippi Lower Delta Partnership
  • Mississippi Public Broadcasting
  • Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
  • First Presbyterian Church
  • Mississippi Library Association
  • Margaret Walker Center
  • Belhaven University
  • WT3 FOUNDATION
  • Mississippi Today
  • Mississippi Maritime Museum
  • Mississippi University for Women
  • Human Rights Campaign Mississippi
  • Visit Mississippi
  • Refill Jackson Initiative
  • Mississippi Arts Commission
  • Shattered Glass Coaching LLC

Book Signing Tent

Don’t miss out on your chance to meet your favorite author one-on-one in the book signing tent, located on the south lawn of the Capitol! Participating Official Panelists will be available for book signings at appointed times.

Food Trucks

Tasty local foods from vendors are for sale on N. President Street! Claim a spot on the lawn or in our shady food pavilion!

  • Crunch Time Concessions
  • T&J Concessions
  • Small Time Hot Dogs & Street Eats
  • Crooked Letter Kitchen
  • Coffee Prose
  • 2 for 7 Kitchen
  • SnoBiz
  • The Frosty Flamingo Italian Ice Cart
  • Green Ghost Tacos
  • The Prickly Hippie
  • B&B BBQ and Catering