In Our Words: 20 Years of the Decatur Book Festival

Special thanks to DBF President Mathwon Howard and past DBF president, current board secretary, James Diedrick, for providing historical insight that helped shape this piece.

In 2005, Daren Wang had a “harebrained scheme.” Not a carefully crafted strategy or corporate-backed initiative, just an ambitious idea powered by an intuitive belief that Decatur could become a cultural mecca of the southeast. 

Alongside Mark Fitton and Tom Bell, the very first Decatur Book Festival took place on Labor Day Weekend in 2006. What began as a simple “let’s try this” quickly gained momentum and two decades later, the festival has grown into one of the country’s most respected and beloved independent literary events. 

From the beginning, the support was homegrown. Agnes Scott College hosted the first six keynote events in Presser Hall, including U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins (2008) and author Jonathan Franzen (2010). Emory University stepped in with programming support and a growing presence. The idea took shape through passionate booksellers, media and literary connections, the support of local businesses and an eager community of volunteers. 

Past keynotes include Arianna Huffington (2006), Sir Harold Evans (2009), Natasha Trethewey (2012), John Lewis (2013), Roxane Gay (2015), Sonia Sotomayor (2019), Jericho Brown (2020) and Joyce Carol Oates (2024). To us, these were not just prominent names; these were voices shaping public thought and significant civic conversations. From the civil rights movement and the West Wing to feminism and Latinx immigration, DBF keynotes continue to reflect the cultural conversations of the moment.

The festival adapted as it grew. The Atlanta Journal Constitution served as a media partner and named sponsor from 2010-2020, with Emory University serving as presenting sponsor for some of those years, elevating the festival’s visibility. Street fairs, satellite stages like Eddie’s Attic and Java Monkey, spoken word and youth programming expanded the footprint. Still, the mission of DBF remained unchanged: a love of literature, an emphasis on diverse voices, and a commitment to making books accessible for all. 

Some years felt like turning points There were financial challenges, leadership transitions, and moments where the festival’s future was in question. When the pandemic disrupted everything in 2020, the DBF team didn’t press pause immediately. They reimagined the festival virtually, offering programming through screens instead of stages. By 2023, leadership made the difficult decision to pause for a year of reflection, to reassess the future and ask a hard question: should the festival continue? 

The answer, from every direction, was yes. 

Thanks to an outpouring of support — including generous funding from the Joe Barry Carroll Foundation, LuluMa Foundation, and DeKalb County — the festival returned in 2024 with new leadership, renewed energy, and a commitment to growing smarter and more sustainably. 

It’s fitting that in our 20th year, we’re reflecting on these stories. And not just our own, but yours too. The readers who’ve stood lining the walls in packed rooms and wandered through tents in downtown Decatur. The authors who’ve shared their work with vulnerability and power. The hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers who show up year after year in blazing Georgia heat. Kids who chased down Bookzilla or saw themselves in a story for the first time. You are all part of this, and 20 years later, our story is still unfolding. 

As we celebrate this remarkable milestone, we hope you’ll celebrate with us. Not just by attending the festival on October 3–4, 2025, but by sharing your favorite DBF memory below for us to feature on our 20 Years of Stories webpage, coming soon!