Decatur Book Festival 2025
October 3-4, 2025
Decatur Book Festival 2025
This year’s festival will take place on October 3-5, 2025, and features an array of nearly 100 authors in events spread throughout downtown Decatur.
Among the variety of authors, illustrators, poets, journalists, artists, chefs, musicians and thought-leaders, the 2025 lineup includes:
- Saeed Jones and The People’s Project — Acclaimed poet and essayist will headline Friday’s 7 p.m. keynote in conversation with Victoria Chang, Tiana Clark, and Aruni Kashyap.
- Angie Thomas — The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up will headline Friday’s 6 p.m. “Kidnote”, discussing her new book, Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi.
- Stacey Abrams — Nationally recognized leader and New York Times bestselling author returns with her latest thriller, Coded Justice.
- Mary Roach — Bestselling science writer (Stiff and Fuzz) with her forthcoming Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy.
- Elizabeth George — Internationally acclaimed crime novelist, best known for the Inspector Lynley series, with her latest novel A Slowly Dying Cause.
- Jason Mott — National Book Award–winning author of Hell of a Book with his newest novel, People Like Us.
- Jen Hatmaker — New York Times bestselling author, podcaster and speaker, presenting her new memoir Awake.
- Rebecca Ross — #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestselling fantasy author with Wild Reverence.
- Andrew Greer with Kim Carter Fuller — More Than a President, reflecting on President Jimmy Carter’s spiritual legacy.
- Heather Christle — Poet and author of The Crying Book, with recent memoir In the Rhododendrons and new poetry collection Paper Crown.
- W.J. Lofton — Author of A Garden for Black Boys Between the Stages of Soil and Stardust and the 2025 poetry collection boy maybe.
- Tiffany D. Jackson — New York Times bestselling YA author of Monday’s Not Coming, with her recent novels Blood in the Water and The Scammer.
- Delilah S. Dawson — Author of Star Wars: Phasma and the Blud series, with her latest middle grade horror novel Ride or Die.
- Derrick Barnes — National Book Award finalist and acclaimed author with new releases The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze and I Got You: A Brother’s Promise.
- Kalynn Bayron — New York Times bestselling YA fantasy author, with her new YA novel Make Me a Monster and her middle‑grade series The Vanquishers.
- Landon Bryant — Social media personality (@landontalks) and author of Bless Your Heart: A Field Guide to All Things Southern, with his new book ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, Y’all.
- Kimberly Belflower — Tony-nominated playwright Kimberly Belflower in conversation about her acclaimed Broadway show "John Proctor is the Villain," plus a live reading from the play.
The full Festival lineup can be viewed at https://decaturbookfestival.com/.
Decatur Book Festival Events
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Kidnote with Angie Thomas (Day 1)
10/03/2025 6:00 PM
Agnes Scott College (Presser Hall)
Kick off this year’s Decatur Book Festival with #...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Keynote with Saeed Jones & The People's Project (Day 1)
10/03/2025 7:00 PM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Join award-winning author and editor, Saeed Jones,...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Children's Parade (Day 2)
10/04/2025 9:30 AM
City of Decatur - Intersection of Clairemont Ave & W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA
Parade Details:
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Emerging Student Writers (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
Decatur Library
The Emerging Student Writers Stage features writer...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Derrick Barnes, Ryan Allen & Patrice Gopo: Family Matters (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
These moving picture books explore the depth of fa...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Poetry Stage (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
Marriott Hotel (Decatur)
Schedule:
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Outdoor Cooking Demo with Alan Byers of The Deer & The Dove (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Join Chef Alan Byers of The Deer & The Dove on the...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Mary Bryant Shrader: Modern Pioneer Kitchen (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Join Mary Bryant Shrader, creator of the Mary’s Ne...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Children Read Book Dropoff (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Help Children Read meet their goal of increasing l...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Jason Mott: People Like Us (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
Marriott Hotel (Decatur)
A prize-winning author on a global book tour. A wr...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Beloved Dillard, M.Div, DD, Poet Laureate Hosts the 2025 DBF Entertainment Stage (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:00 AM
City of Decatur - Intersection of Clairemont Ave & W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA
Join us as Beloved Dillard, M.Div, DD, Poet Laurea...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - BOOM! Trio ft. Lavahi: Entertainment Stage Performance (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:30 AM
City of Decatur - Intersection of Clairemont Ave & W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA
Kicking off the Decatur Book Festival with a jolt ...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Angela Pham Krans & Lynn Smith: Friendship, New and Old (Day 2)
10/04/2025 10:45 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Whether starting from scratch or standing the test...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Outdoor Cooking Demo with Joshua Swinney (Day 2)
10/04/2025 11:00 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Catch Chef Joshua Swinney, Executive Chef of Compa...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Storyland Fun Zone for Children ages 3+ (Day 2)
10/04/2025 11:15 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
The Storyland Fun Zone is back by popular demand! ...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Duane Nutter: Cutting Up in the Kitchen (Day 2)
10/04/2025 11:15 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Chef Duane Nutter, James Beard semifinalist and 20...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Tales for Tots Room for Children ages 0-3 (Day 2)
10/04/2025 11:30 AM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
No description provided
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Night Palace: Entertainment Stage Performance (Day 2)
10/04/2025 11:45 AM
City of Decatur - Intersection of Clairemont Ave & W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA
Night Palace is lush, experimental pop that makes ...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Hank Shaw: Borderlands: Recipes and Stories from the Rio Grande to the Pacific (Day 2)
10/04/2025 12:00 PM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Join award-winning chef and wild foods expert Hank...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Mike W. Anderson, Eleanor Spicer Rice & Dori Hillestad Butler: Dogtime Storytime!(Day 2)
10/04/2025 12:15 PM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
Calling all dog lovers and emerging readers! Mike ...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Steven Satterfield: Vegetable Revelations (Day 2)
10/04/2025 12:30 PM
First Baptist Church of Decatur
James Beard Award winner Steven Satterfield shares...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Lunchtime Literary Leg Stretch at Decatur Cemetery (Day 2)
10/04/2025 12:40 PM
Decatur Cemetery
Take a midday stroll through Decatur Cemetery and ...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - Julian Winters & Kelly Quindlen: Cup of Truth – Navigating Free Speech (Day 2)
10/04/2025 12:45 PM
Decatur Library
Join The National Center for Civil and Human Right...
Decatur Book Festival 2025 - October 3 - 4, 2025