Welcome to the 2026 Summerville Book Festival page! This year’s festival adds more panels, more fun, and an extra evening of thrills and chills at the Flowertown Players Theatre! Details are forthcoming, with full announcements by January 15th, so stay tuned!
NOTE: If you’re an author wanting to join the fun, please complete THIS FORM as soon as possible!
FESTIVAL MAP/SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
This is an EARLY map and schedule for the big day:
MEET YOUR AUTHORS!
The Summerville Book Festival stages include our Bestsellers Stage at the Flowertown Theatre (paid programming includes books signed by our keynote authors Friday and Saturday); a free Children’s Stage (Saturday am) and Lowcountry Stars Stage (Saturday afternoon) on Hutchinson Square; a special event at the Timrod Library; and a tour of the Summerville Journal Scene offices and archives on Journal Alley, PLUS special events TBA.
BESTSELLERS STAGE AT FLOWERTOWN THEATRE
Bestsellers Stage Programming takes place at the Flowertown Players Theatre. We’ll have a “Thrills & Chills” panel Friday evening, and a festive day Saturday with a number of great panels. Doors open at noon on Saturday, followed by signing/reception at Main Street Reads Saturday evening. Your VIP Ticket can be purchased at the door at noon if not preordered.
- ALL programming at the Flowertown Players Theatre (two keynotes and three themed panels shown below).
- PLUS: VIP ticket holders enjoy 20% off the purchase of ANY panel author’s book in the theatre bookstore or at Main Street Reads.
- PLUS, VIP ticket holders will have exclusive admission to the Authors/Sponsors/VIP Reception at Main Street Reads at 6:00 p.m., following the festival (apps/drinks included).
- (A general admission ticket is also available without reception or discounts included.)
- Buy your tickets now – the Bestsellers Stage WILL sell out before February 15th. Tickets are available only via the link below or in-store at Main Street Reads.
BESTSELLERS STAGE: FRIDAY’S “THRILLS AND CHILLS” AT FLOWERTOWN PLAYERS
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BESTSELLERS STAGE: SATURDAY INCLUDES ROMANCE, FANTASY, BOOKS & BANTER AND STRICTLY SOUTHERN!
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E.M. Etheridge
Denise Lee
BESTSELLERS STAGE: SCHEDULE TBA
Christina Sinisi
Rhonda McKnight
Nadine Theiss
Rebecca Wrights
Elaine Reed
BESTSELLERS STAGE: THRILL IN THE ‘VILLE PANEL 3:30 PM
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Penny Goetjen
Connie Froman Davis
TIMROD LIBRARY PROGRAMMING
This ticketed event features a moderated authors panel and light breakfast at the historic Timrod Library. Running from 9 a.m. until noon, you’ll meet well-known authors talking about their craft and the writing life. Each participant also gets a Timrod Library tote bag with writerly gifts tucked inside. Grab your tickets at the Timrod Library or on their website. Tickets are $50 member/$75 non-member. Proceeds benefit the Timrod. CLICK HERE for more and to get your tix. Space IS limited! FACULTY includes…TBA!
HEALTH & HEALING THROUGH WORDS: STUDIO SALON & SIGNING
Maria Cruz
Join AUTHORS writing about personal challenges and how words can heal us all. This will be an open forum discussion and author books will be available for sale/signing at the event. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. to enjoy coffee and continental breakfast; workshop 9:45 – 11:45 a.m. This is a ticketed event – Spots are available at the door at 9 a.m.
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STORIED SUMMERVILLE WALKING TOUR
From 10 a.m. – Noon, you can join award-winning storyteller and author Tim Lowry on a 1.5 mile stroll around Summerville’s beautiful historic district as he regales you with stories drawn from books found in the historic Timrod Library. The tour will include a little history, a few ghost stories, and more! And all can be discovered on the shelves of Summerville’s oldest book depository. Tickets: $20 for Timrod members & $25 for non-members. Ltd. to 30. (Begins at the Timrod Library and concludes at Hutchinson Square.
GET CREATIVE AT PUBLIC WORKS! 11 am – 1 pm
Summerville’s Public Works Arts Center is offering up a fun activity during the festival. Programming TBA
CHILDREN’S STAGE ON HUTCHINSON SQUARE (FREE):
STORIES ON THE SQUARE KIDS STAGE: 11:00 am – NOON FREE AND OPEN TO ALL!
Martha Jawarowski
Jewel Sweeney
Marybeth Wishart
Peter Cotton
Price Sumner Sigal
Auntie Leslie
LOWCOUNTRY STARS STAGE ON THE SQUARE:
FREE TO ALL – MEET AUTHORS AND THEIR BOOKS ALL AFTERNOON FROM 12:00 – 4:00 pm
Timrod Library board chair Leslie Koller and storyteller Tim Lowry will emcee an afternoon of amazing books and authors in a mix of fiction and non-fiction, historical and contemporary. Books will be for sale at the Main Street Reads tent near the stage and in-store. All Hutchinson Square programming is free and open to all.
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**We have a limited number of chairs at the outdoor stage; feel free to bring a lawn chair. While you’re there, enjoy Summerville’s local eateries and all the creative food and craft vendors at the festival!
MEET YOUR VENDORS!
Shop for books, bookish-themed crafts, food, AND learn about Summerville’s awesome arts programs as a newly designated South Carolina Arts & Cultural District!
- 32 Degrees North
- A Wild Hare
- Book Girlie Creations
- Books of Distinction
- Carrie Harwoods LLC
- Casco’s Creations
- Dean’s Meaner Weiners (Food Truck)
- Evening Post Books
- Gorditas Locas (Food Truck)
- James Brown’s Famous Boiled Peanuts
- Lowcountry Romance Writers
- Main Street Reads
- Mary Goop and the Magic Words
MEET OUR PARTNERS
It takes a village: When we all work together, it’s a win for you, for us, and for our entire community…
DREAM works with small businesses, orgs and specialty vendors around town to encourage economic vitality, entertainment, and community outreach, including the Farmers Market, Sweet Tea Festival, Third Thursdays, Christmas Parade and now the Summerville Book Festival! DREAM celebrates the shop local approach. Community Partners are recognized as trusted advisors who embrace “I am because we are” — together we all succeed.
The Mission of The Flowertown Players, Inc. is to produce and present quality community theatre, to encourage and promote educational and literary performing arts projects for all segments of the tri-county population, and to provide a venue for thespians, artists, techs, writers and other creatives to practice their crafts. Through the arts, we help provide an enriching experience in our Summervlle community.
We bring the news of each community to the readers of our print editions with a strong emphasis on local content and local writers. Our newspapers are an integral part of the communities they represent. The Summerville Journal Scene, founded in 1940, is published every Wednesday and delivered weekly to nearly 25,000 households in Dorchester County and parts of Berkeley County. For more info, call 843-873-9424.
The Timrod Library began in 1897, when a group of young Summerville women, inspired by the Chautauqua literary movement, formed a reading circle. In 1908, it was chartered as the Timrod Literary and Library Association. The Timrod continues to serve as a hub of literary events. Board members, employees, and volunteers continue their literary mission: serving the community and caring for the historic building.
HOST HOTEL: HILTON GARDEN INN
The official hotel of the Summerville Book Festival is the Hilton Garden Inn (406 Sigma Dr, Summerville, SC 29486)., It’s a stunning and peaceful property less than three miles from historic downtown Summerville.
CLICK HERE for the special rate of $139, OR call (843) 832-1304 and press “0” to speak with a guest service agent on property. You must reference the group code “TBA”. Reservations need to be made by February 10th, 2026 to receive the group rate.