When it was announced that Trump administration cuts to federal funding of the arts and humanities were on the horizon back in April, one of the first consequences that many Nashvillians spoke of was the potential loss of the Southern Festival of Books.
The annual event, which has been held in Nashville since its inception in 1989, is among the most beloved events in Nashville, and last year brought out an estimated 25,000 attendees and 175 authors over a weekend-long series of panel discussions, kids' events and author Q&As. The fest is also a sizable platform for dozens of independent bookstores and publishers. The loss of the SFOB would be a huge blow to the local literary community, to say nothing of the residents and tourists who spend time at the free event every year.
Humanities Tennessee's National Endowment for the Humanities grant, worth about $1.2 million annually, has been terminated
It’s welcome news, then, that Humanities Tennessee announced Thursday that the Southern Festival of Books will be returning for its 37th year, thanks in large part to an expanded partnership with Vanderbilt University. This year’s event — titled Vanderbilt University Presents: The Southern Festival of Books, a Program of Humanities Tennessee — will take place Oct. 18 and 19 at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Tennessee State Museum and the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
“Never in our history have we felt more uplifted by the people we serve,” says Tim Henderson, executive director of Humanities Tennessee, in a press release. “When the news broke about our loss of federal funding, we weren’t sure HT would continue through the fall, putting all our programs in jeopardy. But the outpouring of support from Tennesseans and our literary community has been inspiring. Further, the opportunity to expand our work with Vanderbilt — an institution deeply committed to civic life and cultural leadership — represents a shared commitment to engaging with the public around literary arts, ideas, history, and culture.”
Oct. 26-27 in downtown Nashville, the festival will celebrate literary excellence close to home
This year’s participating authors will be announced on July 17, when the commissioned festival artwork will also be released.
Read the full press release below.
NASHVILLE, TN (July 3, 2025) – Humanities Tennessee (HT) and Vanderbilt University announced today that the Southern Festival of Books will return for its 37th year on October 18-19, 2025, thanks to resounding community support, new donations, and an expanded partnership with Vanderbilt University as presenting partner.
This year’s event will be titled “Vanderbilt University Presents: The Southern Festival of Books, a program of Humanities Tennessee,” marking a new chapter in the life of this storied public event and reflecting Vanderbilt’s deepening investment in the cultural, civic, and intellectual fabric of the region.
The continuation of the festival is a testament to the power of community. After months of uncertainty following the termination of federal funding, Tennesseans can celebrate the return of this free event that connects authors and readers at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Tennessee State Museum, and the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
“Never in our history have we felt more uplifted by the people we serve,” said Tim Henderson, executive director of Humanities Tennessee. “When the news broke about our loss of federal funding, we weren’t sure HT would continue through the fall, putting all our programs in jeopardy. But the outpouring of support from Tennesseans and our literary community has been inspiring. Further, the opportunity to expand our work with Vanderbilt — an institution deeply committed to civic life and cultural leadership — represents a shared commitment to engaging with the public around literary arts, ideas, history, and culture.”
“This is a thrilling opportunity to elevate the Southern Festival of Books, Vanderbilt University, and our literary community in Nashville as powerhouse and vibrant national forces for creative expression and the performing arts,” said C. Cybele Raver, Vanderbilt’s provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We are honored to co-present this celebration of authors, readers, and their ideas — it builds on this city’s tradition of sparking curiosity, discovery, and dialogue through community book groups, booksellers like Parnassus Books, and the Nashville Public Library. We’re so proud to be part of this festival’s next chapter.”
The Southern Festival of Books will host discussions and panels with more than 175 regionally and nationally recognized authors, featuring genres and titles for readers of all ages and interests. The first round of participating authors and the commissioned festival artwork will be announced on July 17.
In addition to the author sessions, festivalgoers can enjoy a children’s creativity area, author signing tent, a live recording of author interviews through Vanderbilt University’s Quantum Potential podcast, nearly 100 book-related exhibitors, performance stages featuring local talent, food trucks, special exhibits, and a welcoming atmosphere of community and conversation. Parnassus Books will return as the festival’s official bookseller after a successful “twenty bucks” campaign led by Ann Patchett helped raise significant funds for the event.
Also returning this year is the popular Authors in the Round Dinner. The beloved fundraiser, co-chaired by award-winning Vanderbilt faculty members Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams, invites guests to dine alongside 45 authors appearing at the 2025 festival. It’s Nashville’s best book-club-dinner-party event, which has already seen a surge of early contributions to ensure the festival’s future. Authors in the Round will be held Friday, October 17, at Marathon Music Works. Tables are available beginning July 9, and individual tickets will go on sale August 18.
The 2025 festival is made possible by presenting partner Vanderbilt University, along with The Frist Foundation, Sandra Schatten Foundation, Visit Music City, Ingram Content Group, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Metro Arts: Nashville Office for Arts and Culture, Tennessee Arts Commission, the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation, and generous gifts from more than 1,200 individuals in the past three months. Sponsorship opportunities for the festival and dinner are available by contacting Sandy Obodzinski at sandy@humtn.org.
For more information, visit sofestofbooks.org and stay updated on festival announcements by following the festival on Facebook (@SoFestofBooks) and Instagram (@sofestofbooks).
