2024 Festival of the Book Events

Weds. March 20:

Unsung Women: Expand your understanding of three historic women in this inspiring panel with Ruth P. Watson, Virginia Pye, and Stephanie Dray. Located at JMRL Central Library.

Heavenly Bodies and Hot Sonnets: Moderen Love Poems: In this panel, two Virginia poets develop new language to talk about love and describe modern relationships. Located at JMRL Central Library.

30th Anniversary Kickoff: 90's Rooftop Party: Ticketed Event! Join pop culture critic and author of 60 Songs that Explain the ‘90s Rob Harvilla to hear some throwback tunes and reminisce about the ‘90s. Located at the Common House.

Thurs. March 21:

Wild Asana: Animals, Yoga, and Connecting Our Practice to the Natural World: Ticketed Event! Grab a mat and join author Allison Zak for an interactive yoga workshop and book talk. Located at JMRL Central Library.

Solastaliga: An Anthology of Emotion in a Disappearing World: Three authors will discuss the meaning of climate change in the face of the people and places they love and their vision of what we can create. Located at JMRL Central Library.

Natural Born Creatures: Join authors Erica Howsare and Nicollette L. Cagle for a discussion of three remarkable creatures that dwell in the natural world: deer, snakes, and humans. Located at JMRL Central Library.

YA Pizza Party

Tagging Freedom: Reading and Art Workshop: Join the author of this middle-grade book about a Syrian boy who secretly tags messages of freedom around his city. The event will be held at The Bridge, with Book Sales at JMRL.

Friday, March 22

Against Technoablism: In her novel Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement, Ashley Shew examines the often harmful intersection of technology and disability. Located in the Cityspace.

The Sound of the Future: In The Sound of the Future: The Coming Age of Voice Technology, Willowtree CEO Tobias Dengel proposes that voice is the next technology, with profound potential to alter our modern landscape. Located in the Cityspace.

Southern Fried Crime: Two novelists explore the ties that bind and the binds that they can get us into. Located in the Cityspace.

Scandalous Ladies of the 19th Century: Hear from Besty Prioleau, author of Diamonds and Deadlines and Sarah Horowitz, author of The Red Widow. Located in the City Space.

Saturday, March 23

Heart, Spunk, Magic, Chutzpah: Courageous Girls: Get inspired by these middle grade authors and their stories! Located at JMRL Central Library.

Healing Words: Poetry and Health: Two poets examine how the mind and body ail and heal. Located at JMRL Central Library.

Expansive Frontiers: The spirit of adventure travels through The First Migrants: How Black Homesteaders’ Quest for Land and Freedom Heralded America’s Great Migration and The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West. Located in City Council Chambers, but book sales at JMRL.

Patrick Henry's Final Political Battle: For the People, For the Country: Patrick Henry’s Final Political Battle tells the remarkable story of how the most eloquent public speaker of the American Revolutionary era once again changed history. Located in City Council Chambers, but book sales at JMRL.