Activities Authors Participate Schedule Jump to Events

This Labor Day Weekend, mingle with 150 of your favorite authors, attend a reading or book signing, listen to live music and poetry, enjoy cooking demonstrations and fine wine, and participate in fun activities for the entire family during the fifth annual AJC Decatur Book Festival!

Below is just a sampling of all of the exciting events we have planned for this year. More information coming soon!

Keynote Address: Jonathan Franzen

The opening keynote address, on Friday evening, will be given by National Book Award winner Jonathan Franzen. AJC DBF is the first stop on Franzen's tour for his first novel since The Corrections.

Confederacy of Dunces Events

Theatrical Outfit is premiering this year its original adaptation of John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces. Several events are planned at the AJC Decatur Book Festival to celebrate this.

On Saturday afternoon of the festival, executive artistic director Tom Key and others involved in the adaptation and production of the play will be joined by actors from the play for an event about the story's adaptation. Key and others will read passages from the novel and discuss how they adapted them, then actors will perform the adapted scenes.

Other Dunces related events are in the works. Stay tuned for more.

Scavenger Hunt

SCVNGR, an interactive, location based game that will lead players through the festival grounds and nearby Decatur hotspots will also premiere at the Festival. Prizes will include signed books, t-shirts, posters and other goodies.

Wren's Nest Publishing Co.

AJC DBF's friends at The Wren's Nest, the museum home of Joel Chandler Harris, are back with even more this year.

KIPP Strive Launch Party

A new initiative of The Wren's Nest, in partnership with the West End charter school KIPP Strive, this program has paired professional writers and editors with 5th graders. The children interviewed their parents for stories from their lives. The children have then written up the stories and will publish them in a book, to be released at AJC DBF on Saturday at Several Dancers Core. The event will feature the children and their parents, and the opportunity to buy copies of the book.

Teen Literary Salon

Now in its fourth year, a summer publishing and editing camp for high schoolers — run through a partnership between The Wren's Nest and AJC DBF — will culminate in a literary salon and launch party on Sunday afternoon, in the studio of Several Dancers Core. The teen editors and writers will read from their literary journal. There will also be food and drink, live music, games, and the opportunity to buy the journal.

The Pen is Mightier Than the Light Saber

The Force will be with us at AJC DBF with storm troopers, origami Yoda, and an artist who illustrated The Clone Wars.

Parades!

AJC DBF will feature two children's parades this year, once each morning. Each features a popular children's book and the book's creators. The books are Ladybug Girl, by Jacky Davis and David Soman, and Llama Llama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdeny.

Friday Field Trips

Students from the City Schools of Decatur and select other invited students will come to the Decatur square on Friday morning of the festival for interactive talks with some of the nation's finest authors of books for children and young adults.

The Writer's Conference @ AJC DBF

AJC DBF's annual writers conference will again take place on Friday afternoon, on the campus of Agnes Scott College. Following an opening Writers Conference Keynote address, participants will choose from one of several writers workshops. On Saturday and Sunday, writers can also follow along the Writers Conference Track, a series of events on AJC DBF's main stages that are open to the general public but of particular interest to writers and aspiring writers.

Lillian Smith Awards

These annual awards for writers whose work advances social and racial justice will once again be given at AJC DBF in a special ceremony.

Java Monkey Invitational Poetry Slam

This popular annual poetry slam at AJC DBF will feature the best slam poets from metro Atlanta, in competition. This event is presented by Poetry Atlanta.

Java Monkey Speaks Open Mic

This popular annual at AJC DBF will return on Sunday evening. Spoken word poets will perform their work. A notable AJC DBF poet will feature at the event. The event is presented by Poetry Atlanta.

Closing Picnic

After the success of last year's closing picnic, AJC DBF will once again end the weekend with a picnic on the square, featuring food by some of Decatur's best local restaurants and live music.