The 38th annual Southern Festival of Books will take place Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, 2026, at the Bicentennial Mall, Tennessee State Museum, and Tennessee State Library. This festival, presented by Humanities Tennessee in partnership with Vanderbilt University, celebrates the written word with two days of author panels featuring more than 175 authors, signings, readings, discussions, food trucks, book vendors, and more. Admission is free and open to all ages.