WELCOME TO…
S AT U R D AY MARCH 29 9 AM – 6 PM
LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS
COMING OF AGE & IDENTITY
MYSTERY, THRILLER & HORROR
CULTURE, FOOD & THE ARTS
HISTORY & SOCIAL JUSTICE
HEADLINER AUTHOR TALK
OUTDOOR MAIN STAGE
AUTHOR SCHEDULE 10 – 11 AM
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
1 – 2 PM
2:30 – 3:30 PM
4 – 5 PM
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Headliner:
It’s Emotionally Complicated!
Clues and Conspiracies
In conversation with Carla Damron.
Mystery lurks in small towns and resorts, with clues leading to dark secrets waiting to unfold.
Headliner:
Check true love off your bucket list, whether at an amusement park, small town, resort, or academy.
With twists, turns, and betrayal, will they find love and passion in their future? Aries Skye, Love on the Rebound
C. Hope Clark, Edisto Storm
KC Mills, You Could Do Damage
Carla Damron, The Orchid Tattoo
Kimberly Brown, Courage to Love Again
Allie Pleiter, One Sharp Stitch
Patti Callahan Henry
Patti Callahan Henry is a bestselling author of 18 novels, including Southern contemporaries and historical fiction like The Secret Book of Flora Lea.
Vanessa Riley, A Wager at Midnight Amy Ratcliffe, Thrill Ride Cassie Verano, 90 Days to Love
AUDITORIUM
Injustice in Focus
Ooh Scary!
Echoes of the Past
Experience the fight for civil rights in South Carolina through William’s life and photography.
Spooky Southern charm with taxidermy, off-kilter hospitality, and a touch of melancholy.
Cecil Williams, Photographer
Julia Elliott, Hellions: Stories
Discover the emotions and motivations of imagined women characters rooted in historical Southern events.
Claudia Smith Brinson, Injustice in Focus: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
Emily Carpenter, Gothictown
Hub City 30th Anniversary
The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All
Nathan Ballingrud, Crypt of the Moon Spider
THEATER
Reflect on Hub City’s first 30 years, sharing joys, challenges, and goals for the next chapter.
Queen Mary Martha says, ‘Kiss my aspic!’ while sharing juicy stories and delicious recipes.
Betsy Teter, North of Main: Spartanburg’s Historic Black Neighborhoods of North Dean Street, Gas Bottom, and Back of the College
Mary Martha Greene, The Cheese Biscuit Queen Kiss My Aspic! Jeffrey Dale Lofton, Moderator
Meg Reid, Executive Director Ray McManus, The Last Saturday in America
In conversation with Valerie Byrd Fort and DAYLO students. Mike Curato, author and illustrator of Little Elliot and Flamer, winner of multiple honors, including the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult.
B Love, The Loyal Wife
Synithia Williams, Frenemies with Benefits
Mike Curato
Headliner:
Picturing the Past
DéLana R.A. Dameron In conversation with Roni Nicole Henderson
Discover the power of photography and the work of Richard Samuel Roberts, connecting us to the past. Dianne Johnson Feelings, H is for Harlem
Vanessa Miller, The American Queen Rhonda McKnight, Bitter & Sweet Diane C. McPhail, Follow the Stars Home Donna Everhart, When the Jessamine Grows
DéLana R. A. Dameron, author of Redwood Court (2024) and poetry collections How God Ends Us and Weary Kingdom, is an artist who tells powerful stories.
Public Poetry and Politics
Beavers and People
Over the Top, Just South
Poets laureate share their stories, poetry, and experiences promoting poetry across South Carolina. Marjory Wentworth, One River, One Boat Jennifer Bartell Boykin, Traveling Mercy Angelo Geter, More God than Dead Marcus Amaker, Hold What Makes You Whole Ed Madden, A Pooka in Arkansas
Beavers shape landscapes and water sources. How can humans and beavers better co-exist?
Southern men must face the long shadow of their past and its impact on modern masculinity.
Cassie Premo Steele, Beaver Girl
Ray McManus, The Last Saturday in America
Dr. Rhonda Grego, Moderator
David Joy, Those We Thought We Knew
Vennie Deas Moore, Palmetto Portraits Dr. Bobby Donaldson, Moderator
Chris Koslowski, Kayfabe
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE CHILDREN’S ROOM
STUDIO STAGE
HAMPTON PLAZA STAGE
MEETING ROOM M
GARDEN PLAZA
10 AM – 5 PM
12 – 4 PM
10:30 – 11:30 AM
1 – 2 PM
10 AM – 5 PM
Scavenger Hunts & Crafts
Zine Making
Queer Writers of Columbia Presents
Make zines and meet local creators.
Local LGBTQIA+ writer collective shares creative work.
A Book for Every Situation: Finding and Tracking Your Next Read
Outdoor Yard Games
With a new book published every eight seconds, how do you choose? Come learn about resources to find and remember the books that interest you with Richland Library staff!
10 – 11 AM
1 – 2 PM
12:30 – 1:30 PM
Plink, Rattle, Toot w/ ColaJazz
Zine Panel
Danny Bedrosian and Secret Army
Creators discuss community and collaboration.
Parliament Funkadelic veterans bring the funk.
2:30 – 3:30 PM
3 – 4 PM
1:30 – 2:30 PM
2:30 – 3:30 PM
Puppetpalooza
Open Mic
The P-Funk Song Reference: A Conversation
Your favorite shows performed by puppets.
Express your talent through poetry and more.
Danny Bedrosian discusses his book with P-Funk archivist Tim Kinley.
Challenge Yourself with Broader Bookshelf!
Family storytime paired with live jazz music.
3 – 4 PM Columbia’s Poet Laureate Presents Jennifer Bartell Boykin presents poets from around the Columbia area.
Tackle the Broader Bookshelf Reading Challenge like a pro with this informative session from Richland Library’s Readers’ Advisory librarians.
THIRD LEVEL 11 AM – 1 PM Silent Book Club Step away for a quiet reading escape.