(DECATUR, Ga.)–The Decatur Book Festival is an annual event that takes place in the heart of downtown Decatur, Georgia. The initial concept for the festival was conceived 20 years ago in 2005, and a year later, Daren Wang, Mark Fitton, and Tom Bell launched the first event on Labor Day weekend. Local businesses and institutions, such as Agnes Scott College, have been involved since the beginning, and the support has only grown over time. Now, the Decatur Book Festival is one of the most well-known and respected independent literary events in the country, and has featured notable keynote speakers such as the late civil rights activist John Lewis.
Notable attendees this year include Georgia politician Stacey Abrams and children’s and young adult novelist Angie Thomas, both #1 New York Times bestselling authors. Abrams will discuss her newest thriller novel, Coded Justice, and how modern law, medicine, and the growing influence of AI inspired it.
Ms. Thomas will kick off the festival with a special ‘Kidnote’, and will discuss her new middle grade book, Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi, the second book in her bestselling Nic Blake and the Remarkables series, inspired by African American history and folklore.
Also attending this year are student writers from seven different Georgia colleges, including six talented students from Agnes Scott. See Mayleigh Carvana, Karmon Christopherson, Kyile Krause, Imani Milligan, Alexa Robinson, and Paige Walker speak about their writing at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 4, at the Decatur Library.
As always, the Decatur Book Festival hosts a series of panels and events that appeal to people of any age and any interest. A fan of theater? See Tony-nominated playwright Kimberly Belflower discuss her award-winning play John Proctor is the Villain. Looking to get into cooking? There are twelve culinary events this year! An aspiring poet? There are panels for you, too!
Except for a few select events, the festival is free and open to the public. There will be food, book signings, and plenty of local vendors! Be sure to check out the full weekend schedule and enjoy the 2025 festival!