The Writers Alliance of Gainesville is “Bringing Readers and Writers Together” at the seventh annual Sunshine State Book Festival. The festival will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall in Gainesville. One hundred authors will participate in the Author Expo, meeting readers and offering their books for sale.
In recognition of America’s 250th birthday, the 2026 festival theme is “From Pirates to the Present: Celebrating 250 Years of Literature in Florida.”
Festival highlights include:
—Keynote Speaker David Morton presenting “Writers in Paradise: Hemingway, Capote, Hurston, and Others Who Found Their Inspiration in Florida.”
—A one-woman, one-act play by Pamela Marshall Koons exploring the life and legacy of Florida literary icon Zora Neale Hurston.
—A dedicated children’s area featuring face painting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and six children’s book authors reading their original stories throughout the day.
—The Sunshine State Teen Lit Awards ceremony, where a total of $1,000 in scholarships, sponsored by Steve Spurrier’s HBC Foundation and gift cards donated by Lynx Bookstore will be awarded to the winning young writers.
The 2026 Sunshine State Book Festival is funded in part by Visit Gainesville and the city of Gainesville Parks and Recreation Department.
Visit www.sunshinestatebookfestival.com.
About the Writers Alliance of Gainesville
The Writers Alliance of Gainesville promotes, encourages, and supports both aspiring and experienced writers throughout the region. WAG hosts free monthly programs—open to the public—typically held at 2:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month at the Alachua County Library District’s Millhopper Branch, 3145 NW 43rd Street in Gainesville.
Learn more at writersalliance.org.
