SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 18TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF BOOKS & AUTHORS: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2023

Click here to sign up for the Bookmarks newsletter to stay up to date on all Festival announcements.

EXHIBITORS & FOOD TRUCKS 

Exhibitor registration for authors, nonprofit organizations, and other vendors is now open! Learn more here.  

Food truck registration is now open! Register here.

NOW ACCEPTING AUTHOR SUBMISSIONS 

If you are a traditional publisher submitting an author for consideration, please send your proposal to the Festival Director at festivalsubmission@bookmarksnc.org. 

If you are an author (or publisher representing an author) who book has been published by an independent publisher or is self-published, please submit your book for consideration using this webform.

17 YEARS OF LITERARY EXCELLENCE

We are proud to have hosted more than 750 authors from around the world through the years at the Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors. We are celebrating our 17th festival this September and hope you will join us. This year, our 50 featured authors have won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the American Book Award, the Lambda and Alex Awards, the Nebula and Hugo Awards, the NAACP Image Award, the World Fantasy Award and the American Book Award. They have been named “Thriller Master”, the top award given by the International Thriller Writers Association, and have been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. They have received MacArthur fellowships, NEA fellowships, and the National Medal of Arts. They’ve been USA Today, NPR, and New York Magazine bestsellers. They’ve written 109 New York Times bestsellers and spent a cumulative 10 years on the NYT bestseller list. They’ve received the American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, Teen Choice Award, Coretta Scott King Award, and a Tony Award. They host podcasts, teach, edit, and have founded nonprofits. They are principal violinists in symphony orchestras; they are pilots and chefs and professional baseball players. They have received honorary doctorates, founded scholarships, and served on USO tours. They’ve been president of Mystery Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and they’ve competed on Jeopardy! They’ve been Reese Picks, Indie Bookseller picks, and sold more than 250 million copies of their books worldwide. Their books have been translated into 40+ languages, and their books have been adapted for tv and movies. Some are reformed attorneys or doctors. Some still practice both. Here's the full list. 

Bookmarks began as an annual book festival in 2004. The Festival of Books & Authors has since grown to be the largest annual book festival in the Carolinas, reaching tens of thousands of readers each year. Since its beginnings as a book festival, Bookmarks has grown to be a 501(c)(3) literary arts nonprofit organization and bookstore in downtown Winston-Salem. All of Bookmarks' programming, including the Festival of Books & Authors, is part of the organization's mission to cultivate community by bringing people of all ages together with books and authors that educate, inspire, challenge, and entertain. Click here to learn more about Bookmarks' history and mission.

F E S T I V A L   A U T H O R S

The 2022 Festival authors have been announced - make sure to follow Bookmarks on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) and subscribe to the Bookmarks newsletter for updates! Click on the Festival Authors page above to learn more about this year's author lineup.

F E S T I V A L   B O O K S

The 2022 Festival catalog is available now. Pre-order unsigned books from the catalog and avoid long lines and sell outs during the festival. If you want us to wait until after Festival to fulfill your order, we will fill with signed copies while supplies last. 

T I C K E T E D  &  S P E C I A L  E V E N T S

All events on Saturday, September 24 are free and open to the public. There are ticketed events on Thursday, Friday, and Monday surrounding the free Saturday festival. Find out more!

S C H E D U L E  &  M A P

Start planning your day today by learning about the scheduled and parking. All events on Saturday, September 24 are free and open to the public. Click here to check it out!

F A Q s & W H A T  T O  K N O W  B E F O R E  Y O U  A R R I V E

If you're planning to see Idina Menzel, make sure you read this! If you have questions about the Festival, you can probably find the answer on this page. If not, be sure to email us!

G E T  I N V O L V E D

Would you like to help with our Festival this year? Festival volunteering offers access to a lot of behind the scenes fun! Free admission to events, access to private volunteer parties, and the ability to chat with the visitng authros are among the most sought after perks of being a Bookmarks volunteer. Training and background checks are mandatory for all volunteers. You must be 18 or older to volunteer by yourself; otherwise, you must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteer assignments can include handing out information to attendees, set up and set down, organizing and running errands, hospitality and booksignings, and more. To sign up, email Michelle at michelle@bookmarksnc.org for details. *All volunteers must be fully vaccinated for Covid-19.

K E E P  T H E  F E S T I V A L  F R E E!

Bookmarks is unique in that we fully program, plan, and run our annual festival. Though we receive funding from multiple sources, there is no backing entity that supports the Bookmarks Festival. We are a 501(c)(3) and not only do we book our authors and handle all the logistics, we also sell all the books! No other book festival in the country operates exactly as we do!

Though Bookmarks began as an annual book festival, we have become much more! Our programming and outreach continues to grow each year as we continue to find ways to increase access to books. Help us create a community where the power of the book brings forth connection and belonging for every person. Investing in Bookmarks is investing in the literacy, the artistic vibrancy, and the cultural growth of this community.

Make a donation today to go towards our Festival goal of raising $17,000 for our 17th anniversary!  

Help us fulfill our Festival Wishlist! Click here to check it out and sign up today.

W H A T  T O  D O  &  W H E R E  T O  S T A Y 

Traveling from out of town for the Festival? Go behind the pages with a Getaway Weekend at the Brookstown Inn!  Travel package includes two night's accomodations at the Historic Brookstown Inn, two Festival food truck vouchers, a Bookmarks tote with a bottle of Raffaldini Vineyards wine, two Festival t-shirt vouchers, Moravian Cookies, and other Festival goodies. Hotel amenties include daily hot breakfast buffet, an evening wine and cheese reception, freshly baked cookies and milk at bedroom, and free parking within easy walking distance to the Festival. Reserve online or call direct at 336-725-1120.

New to Winston-Salem? Check out our recommended places to visit while you're in town!
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F E S T I V A L   E X H I B I T O R S  &  F O O D   V E N D O R S

The Saturday festival includes dozens of vendors from local craftspeople to nonprofits, from indie authors to small businesses. Enjoy these vendors and food trucks while you're there. Note that a lot of vendors and food trucks only accept cash. The closest ATM is located at Truist Bank on the corner of 2nd & Spruce Streets.