Embrace the conversation: The Charleston Literary Festival is November 7-16, 2025 – What you need to know

By Mark A. Leon

The Charleston Literary Festival returns November 7–16, 2025, with a ten-day celebration of books, ideas, and conversation at the Dock Street Theatre in historic downtown Charleston. 

Now in its ninth year, the festival brings together more than fifty authors and interlocutors for intimate conversations and lectures. 

Highlights & Notables

• Jenna Bush Hager & Ariel Sullivan kick off the festival on Nov. 7 at 10:30 am with Conform, a dystopian-romance conversation.  
• George Packer appears Nov. 7 at 1:00 pm to discuss The Emergency.  
• Imani Perry, winner of the National Book Award, presents Black In Blues on Nov. 7 at 3:00 pm.  
• Gary Shteyngart joins on Nov. 11 to present Vera, or Faith.  
• Daniel Mendelsohn will discuss his translation of The Odyssey on Nov. 12.  
• Edda Fields-Black in conversation with David Blight on Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom also scheduled Nov. 12.  
• Bill McKibben presents Here Comes the Sun; Patricia Altschul launches Eat, Drink, and Remarry; and Adam Gopnik appears in a performance-style lecture with Stephen Greenblatt.  
• Other prominent names: Patricia Lockwood, Jake Tapper, Maggie Smith (the writer), Viet Thanh Nguyen, and David Szalay.  

What to Know

• Venue: Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church Street, Charleston, SC.  
• Format: Mostly one-event-at-a-time, conversational sessions with Q&A; general admission seating.  
• A “Cato Fellowship Prize” supports two emerging writers with full access, lodging, and a stipend during the Festival.  

• Click HERE for the official event website.
• Click HERE for tickets.
• Follow the journey on Instagram.

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