2026 Festival at a Glance

April 16

Thursday
LIT CRAWL
Multiple Venues, Downtown Columbia
7:00 p.m. - Late


April 17

Friday
AUTHORS IN THE SCHOOLS
Boone County Public Schools
All Day


KEYNOTE:
Terry Tempest Williams

Missouri Theatre
7:30-9:30 p.m

April 18

Saturday
CHRIS HARRIS &
QUARTEZ HARRIS
Daniel Boone Regional Library
100 W. Broadway
10 a.m. –1 p.m.


MAIN FESTIVAL PROGRAM

Multiple Venues, Downtown Columbia
9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
2026 Panels
Author Conversations
FULL SCHEDULE BELOW

April 19

Sunday

WRITE ON! WORKSHOP
Stephens College Senior Hall
10:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.

Saturday Festival Schedule of Events

Download a copy of the schedule HERE

Click here to download a screen-reader friendly version of the schedule - coming soon

PANEL: Community Silences
Katy Ballroom in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Sam Cohen, James Owen, Gwen Paradice
Moderator: Cristina Mislán

PANEL: A Decade of Writing the Lower Midwest
Orr Street Studios / 106 Orr St
Featuring: George Frazier, Leslie VonHolten, Andy Oler, Kieron Walquist
Moderator: Nancy Bell

PANEL: Jane Austen
Serendipity Salon and Gallery / 1020 E Walnut St., Suite 100
Featuring: Janet Saidi, Devoney Looser


POETRY: Leyva, Rexilius
Top Ten Wines / 111 S 9th St., #160


LITERARY JOURNAL FAIR
Ridgeline in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway

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PANEL: What’s the Buzz?
Katy Ballroom in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Julie Carrick Dalton, Andrea Rexilius, RK Fauth
Moderator: Rachel Walker


PANEL: Valiant Women
Orr Street Studios / 106 Orr St
Featuring: Amber Adams, Jillian Danback-McGhan, Lena S. Andrews
Moderator: Grace Hagen


PANEL: Hit the Road
Serendipity Salon and Gallery / 1020 E Walnut St., Suite 100
Featuring: Sarah Kendzior, BJ Soloy, Nancy Crochiere, Sam Kolawole Moderator: Caylin Capra-Thomas


AUTHOR CONVERSATION: Don’t Tell the President
Little Ragtag at Ragtag Cinema / 10 Hitt St
Featuring: Jean Becker
Moderator: Charles Zug


POETRY: Rollins, Nuernberger
Top Ten Wines / 111 S 9th St., #160

LITERARY JOURNAL FAIR
Ridgeline in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway

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12:05-1:15 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENT: Free Expression in the AI Era
Katy Ballroom in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway

PANEL: Innovators, Agitators, Provocateurs
Katy Ballroom in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Steve Almond, Tony Tulathimutte, Kathryn Nuernberger
Moderator: Jenny Bossaller

PANEL: Two Revolutionary Histories
Orr Street Studios / 106 Orr St
Featuring: Ted Genoways, Caleb Gayle
Moderator: Christopher Leonard

SPECIAL EVENT: Pictures of the Year Photographer Kilii Yuyan
Big Ragtag at Ragtag Cinema / 10 Hitt St

PANEL: Warp Speed Ahead - Nerd Culture and Literature
Little Ragtag at Ragtag Cinema / 10 Hitt St
Featuring: Jennifer Maritza McCauley, Steven Leyva, and Donald Quist
Moderator: Sheri-Marie Harrison


PANEL: Disappearing Acts
Serendipity Salon and Gallery / 1020 E Walnut St., Suite 100
Featuring: Kyle Minor, Mitchell Douglas, Naeem Murr
Moderator: Simon Rose

POETRY: Adams, Fauth
Top Ten Wines / 111 S 9th St., #160


LITERARY JOURNAL FAIR
Ridgeline in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway

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PANEL: Out There Screaming - New Black Horror
Katy Ballroom in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Justin Key, Erin E. Adams, LD Lewis
Moderator: John Joseph Adams

PANEL: Woo Woo Cthulhu - Cults, the Occult and New Age
Ridgeline in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Leah Sottile, Olivia Muenter, Joshua Wheeler
Moderator: Caroline Dohack


AUTHOR CONVERSATION: Monsters and Murder
Orr Street Studios / 106 Orr St
Featuring: Jenna Blum and Emily Franklin
Moderator: Mary O'Malley

PANEL: Boomtown
Serendipity Salon and Gallery / 1020 E Walnut St., Suite 100
Featuring: AnnElise Hatjakes, Claire Vaye Watkins, Christopher Coake
Moderator: Tina Casagrand Foss

POETRY: Douglas, Soloy
Top Ten Wines / 111 S 9th St., #160

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PANEL: Water of Life
Katy Ballroom in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Michelle Anderson, Ted Genoways, BJ Soloy
Moderator: Jim Meyer

PANEL: Profits Over People
Ridgeline in the Broadway Hotel (lower level) / 1111 E Broadway
Featuring: Alec MacGillis, Dan Kaufman, Christopher Leonard
Moderator: Kathy Kiely

PANEL: Tales from the Book Tour
Orr Street Studios / 106 Orr St
Featuring: Samuel Kolawole, Olivia Muenter, Kyle Minor, Alison C. Rollins, Christopher Coake, Jenna Blum
Moderator: Alex George

PANEL: Creating Audiobooks
Serendipity Salon and Gallery / 1020 E Walnut St., Suite 100
Featuring: Daniel Henning
Moderator: Grace Hagen


POETRY: Walquist, McCauley
Top Ten Wines / 111 S 9th St., #160

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