Schedule

Saturday March 29, 9 AM – 6 PM This color-coded legend shows topics used in the sessions of the schedule such as the color red for Headliner Author Talks. As you read through the sessions, you'll find that each one is clearly labeled by session type so that no color information is needed to determine a session's type and each session is fully accessible.

Author Schedule

10 – 11 AM

Outdoor Main Stage

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Check true love off your bucket list, whether at an amusement park, small town, resort, or academy. Vanessa Riley, A Wager at Midnight Amy Ratcliffe, Thrill Ride Cassie Verano, 90 Days to Love Synithia Williams, Frenemies with Benefits
Auditorium

Injustice in Focus

Experience the fight for civil rights in South Carolina through William’s life and photography.

Cecil Williams, Photographer Claudia Smith Brinson, Injustice in Focus: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
Theater

Hub City 30th Anniversary

Reflect on Hub City’s first 30 years, sharing joys, challenges, and goals for the next chapter.

Betsy Teter, North of Main: Spartanburg’s Historic Black Neighborhoods of North Dean Street, Gas Bottom, and Back of the College Meg Reid, Executive Director Ray McManus, The Last Saturday in America

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Outdoor Main Stage

Headliner:
Patti Callahan Henry

In conversation with Carla Damron.

Patti Callahan Henry is a bestselling author of 18 novels, including Southern contemporaries and historical fiction like The Secret Book of Flora Lea.

The Secret Book of Flora Lee Cover
Auditorium

Ooh Scary!

Spooky Southern charm with taxidermy, off-kilter hospitality, and a touch of melancholy.

Julia Elliott, Hellions: Stories Emily Carpenter, Gothictown Nathan Ballingrud, Crypt of the Moon Spider
Theater

The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All

Queen Mary Martha says, ‘Kiss my aspic!’ while sharing juicy stories and delicious recipes.

Mary Martha Greene, The Cheese Biscuit Queen Kiss My Aspic! Jeffrey Dale Lofton, Moderator

1 – 2 PM

Outdoor Main Stage

It’s Emotionally Complicated!

With twists, turns, and betrayal, will they find love and passion in their future?

Aries Skye, Love on the Rebound KC Mills, You Could Do Damage Kimberly Brown, Courage to Love Again B Love, The Loyal Wife
Auditorium

Echoes of the Past

Discover the emotions and motivations of imagined women characters rooted in historical Southern events.

Vanessa Miller, The American Queen Rhonda McKnight, Bitter & Sweet Diane C. McPhail, Follow the Stars Home Donna Everhart, When the Jessamine Grows
Theater

Public Poetry and Politics

Poets laureate share their stories, poetry, and experiences promoting poetry across South Carolina.

Marjory Wentworth, One River, One Boat Jennifer Bartell Boykin, Traveling Mercy Angelo Geter, More God than Dead Marcus Amaker, Hold What Makes You Whole Ed Madden, A Pooka in Arkansas

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Outdoor Main Stage

Clues and Conspiracies

Mystery lurks in small towns and resorts, with clues leading to dark secrets waiting to unfold.

C. Hope Clark, Edisto Storm Carla Damron, The Orchid Tattoo Allie Pleiter, One Sharp Stitch
Auditorium

Headliner:
DéLana R.A. Dameron

In conversation with Roni Nicole Henderson

DéLana R. A. Dameron, author of Redwood Court (2024) and poetry collections How God Ends Us and Weary Kingdom, is an artist who tells powerful stories.

Redwood Court Cover
Theater

Beavers and People

Beavers shape landscapes and water sources. How can humans and beavers better co-exist?

Cassie Premo Steele, Beaver Girl Dr. Rhonda Grego, Moderator

4 – 5 PM

Outdoor Main Stage

Headliner:
Mike Curato

In conversation with Valerie Byrd Fort and DAYLO students.

Mike Curato, author and illustrator of Little Elliot and Flamer, winner of multiple honors, including the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult.

Flamer Cover
Auditorium

Picturing the Past

Discover the power of photography and the work of Richard Samuel Roberts, connecting us to the past.

Dianne Johnson Feelings, H is for Harlem Vennie Deas Moore, Palmetto Portraits Dr. Bobby Donaldson, Moderator
Theater

Over the Top, Just South

Southern men must face the long shadow of their past and its impact on modern masculinity.

Ray McManus, The Last Saturday in America David Joy, Those We Thought We Knew Chris Koslowski, Kayfabe

Entertainment Schedule

10:00 AM

10 – 11 AM Children's Room

Plink, Rattle, Toot w/ ColaJazz

Family storytime paired with live jazz music.

10 – 5 PM Garden Plaza

Outdoor Yard Games

10:30 AM

10:30 – 11:30 AM Hampton Plaza Stage

Queer Writers of Columbia Presents

Local LGBTQIA+ writer collective shares creative work.

11:00 AM

10 – 5 PM Children's Room

Scavenger Hunts & Crafts

11 AM – 1 PM Third Level

Silent Book Club

Step away for a quiet reading escape.

11:30 AM

Noon

Noon – 4 PM Studio Stage

Zine Making

Make zines and meet local creators.

12:30 PM

12:30 – 1:30 PM Hampton Plaza Stage

Danny Bedrosian and Secret Army

Parliament Funkadelic veterans bring the funk.

1:00 PM

1 – 2 PM Studio Stage

Zine Panel

Creators discuss community and collaboration.

1 – 2 PM Meeting Room M

A Book for Every Situation: Finding and Tracking Your Next Read

With a new book published every eight seconds, how do you choose? Come learn about resources to find and remember the books that interest you with Richland Library staff!

1:30 PM

1:30 – 2:30 PM Hampton Plaza Stage

The P-Funk Song Reference: A Conversation

Danny Bedrosian discusses his book with P-Funk archivist Tim Kinley.

2:00 PM

Noon – 4 PM Studio Stage

Zine Making

Make zines and meet local creators.

2:30 PM

2:30 – 3:30 PM Children's Room

Puppetpalooza

Your favorite shows performed by puppets.

2:30 – 3:30 PM Meeting Room M

Challenge Yourself with Broader Bookshelf!

Tackle the Broader Bookshelf Reading Challenge like a pro with this informative session from Richland Library’s Readers’ Advisory librarians.

3:00 PM

3 – 4 PM Studio Stage

Open Mic

Express your talent through poetry and more.

3 – 4 PM Hampton Plaza Stage

Columbia’s Poet Laureate Presents

Jennifer Bartell Boykin presents poets from around the Columbia area.

3:30 PM

10 – 5 PM Children's Room

Scavenger Hunts & Crafts

4:00 PM

4:30 PM

5:00 PM

Sunday March 30, 11 AM – 4 PM

Author Schedule

11 AM – Noon

Outdoor Main Stage

Headliner:
Abbott Kahler

In conversation with Laura Conte.

Abbott Kahler, author of four New York Times bestsellers, is known for her narrative nonfiction, including Sin in the Second City, American Rose, and Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy.

Eden Undone Cover
Auditorium

Love and Belonging

Find a friend, lover, or your place in the world, whether on a soccer team or in a new city.

Jonny Garza Villa, Futbolista Mike Curato, Flamer
Theater

Coming of Age

Explore the journey of facing challenges that lead to resilience and determination.

Rachel Hanson, The End of Tennessee Jeffrey Dale Lofton, Red Clay Suzie

12:30 – 1:30 PM

Not a Hoax: Book Banning and Intellectual Freedom

Experts explore current events, their impact on young readers, and the outlook ahead.

Valerie Byrd Fort, Instructor, University of South Carolina School of Information Science Jordan Henry, School Librarian Cassie Owens Moore, Intellectual Freedom Chair, SCASL Ashley Snelgrove, Librarian Josh Malkin, ACLU McKenzie Lemhouse, Academic Librarian
Auditorium

Thrills and Chills

Feel something’s off? Is there menace around the corner, or is your perfect life less perfect?

Yasmin Angoe, Not What She Seems Terri Parlato, Watch Your Back Emily Carpenter, Gothictown
Theater

Kugels and Collards

Food connects us to places and brings us together with South Carolina Jewish stories and recipes.

Rachel Gordin Barnett, Kugels and Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina

2 – 3 PM

Outdoor Main Stage

Headliner:
Brendan Slocumb

In conversation with Jonathan Haupt.

Brendan Slocumb, a music educator and author of The Violin Conspiracy and Symphony of Secrets, will release The Dark Maestro in 2025.

Symphony of Secrets Cover
Auditorium

Rights and Freedom

What does it take to secure civil rights, and how do past stories resonate today?

Millicent Brown, Another Sojourner Looking for Truth: My Journey from Civil Rights to Black Power and Beyond Carolyn Click, The Cost of the Vote: George Elmore and the Battle for the Ballot
Theater

You’ll Do

Marriage isn’t just for love. From Colonial times to today, it hasn’t always been used for good.

Marcia Zug, You’ll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other than Love Emily Suski, Moderator

Entertainment Schedule

11:00 AM

11 AM – Noon Children's Room

Plink, Rattle, Toot w/ FUSE

Family storytime paired with live classical music.

11 AM – 1 PM Studio Stage

Audiobook Silent Disco

Silent disco but it’s an audiobook playing.

11 AM – Noon Hampton Plaza Stage

Banned Book Reading

Led by DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization).

11 AM – 4 PM Garden Plaza

Outdoor Yard Games

11:30 AM

Noon

11 – 4 PM Children's Room

Scavenger Hunts & Crafts

Noon – 2 PM Third Level

Silent Book Club

Step away for a quiet reading escape.

12:30 PM

12:30 – 1:30 PM Hampton Plaza Stage

Twin Toasters

Live indie folk and pop punk.

1:00 PM

1:30 PM

2:00 PM

2 – 3 PM Children's Room

Meet the Illustrator: Mike Curato

Join a children’s book illustrator and explore their work.

2 – 3:30 PM Studio Stage

Black Nerd Mafia Presents

Black artist showcase featuring poetry and readings.

2 – 3 PM Hampton Plaza Stage

Alyssa Stewart

Live poet and songwriter.

2 – 3 PM Meeting Room M

How to Start a Book Club?

Richland Library book club leaders give you tips and tricks on how to start your own book club.

2:30 PM

3:00 PM

11 – 4 PM Children's Room

Scavenger Hunts & Crafts

3:30 PM

4:00 PM