The 19th Savannah Book Festival runs Thursday, February 5 through Sunday, February 8, From the ticketed Headliner Addresses to Free Festival Saturday, this event brings together readers and writers for a four-day celebration of fiction, non-fiction, and compelling storytelling.
The Headliner Addresses at the Trustees Theatre will feature: Sean Dietrich, author of Over Yonder, providing the Opening Address on Thursday, February 5; Brad Thor with Ward Larsen, whose latest collaboration is Cold Zero, giving the Keynote Address on Friday, February 6; and Leigh Bardugo, with her latest work The Familiar, delivering the Closing Address on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
Dietrich is known for his commentary on life in the American South. He has written 18 books and over 4,000 columns, with his work appearing in Southern Living, Garden & Gun and Reader’s Digest. He tours his one-man show throughout the U.S. and hosts the Sean of the South podcast.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of 25 thrillers, Thor’s works include Edge of Honor and Black Ice, and Near Dark (one of Suspense Magazine's Best Books of the Year). His The Last Patriot was nominated Best Thriller of the Year by the International Thriller Writers association.
A decorated U.S. Air Force Veteran and a USA TODAY bestselling author, Larsen brings his real-world experience as a fighter pilot, federal agent, airline captain, and aircraft crash investigator to his high-stakes fiction. His thriller, The Perfect Assassin has been optioned for film.
Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Her record-breaking works include Ninth House and she is the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series), which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more.
Headliner Addresses are ticketed events on Thursday, February 5, Friday, February 6 and Sunday, February 8 at the Trustees Theater. The Headliners present 45-minute sessions about their creative process and writing life followed by a Q&A and book signing. You can purchase Headliner tickets starting January 9, 2026, at https://www.savannahbookfestival.org/ .
2026 marks the 19th year for the Savannah Book Festival, which features more than 40 authors and runs from Thursday, February 5 through Sunday, February 8, 2026, in Historic Downtown Savannah. One of the Festival’s highlights, Free Festival Saturday, February 7, is open to the public. Free Festival Saturday features author presentations in seven venues throughout downtown Savannah, as well as book signings, food trucks, and more. Free Festival Saturday is a perfect way to discover your next favorite author.
SBF@Schools is the Festival’s community outreach program. Participating authors arrive a day early in Savannah to visit local middle schools, high schools, colleges and community centers. During the author visits, authors discuss their creative process, early educational experiences, influences, and successes in their writing lives.
For more information about the Festival, please go to https://www.savannahbookfestival.org/ .
