Bringing Readers and Writers Together
The sixth annual Sunshine State Book Festival was held on January 31-February 1, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida, at the Best Western Gateway Grand.
View festival highlights here.
This FREE event included 200 local and regional authors.
Outstanding authors from around Florida and the nation who write in many genres participated in the festival to sell books and discuss their work.
Festivities included guest speakers, giveaways, storytelling, and more.
Supporting Florida Literacy
A celebration of learning and literacy for all ages! Fun and educational!
- Hourly drawings were held to win an autographed book!
- An informal opening-night reception welcomed authors.
- Readers, sponsors, and interested members of the public arrived at the Best Western Grand Gateway to mingle with the authors.
- The Sunshine State Teen Lit Awards invited middle and high school students to participate in our creative writing short story contest and awarded ten scholarships at the festival.
Celebrating Florida’s Literary Culture
Florida’s amazing literary history dates back over two centuries. Today, Gainesville is a leading center of literary culture, which more than two hundred writers, novelists, playwrights, and poets call home.
From naturalist William Bartram, who penned his book Travels in the 1770s, to bestselling authors of today, writers have succumbed to the charm of our area. These include poet laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and winners of the science-fiction Nebula Award. The Sunshine State Book Festival’s goal is to further an appreciation of reading and provide the opportunity for readers to meet and interact with authors.
Florida’s Notable Regional Writers
Florida boasts of a diverse group of notable authors who have made significant contributions to the world of literature. From iconic authors Ernest Hemingway and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to the celebrated poet Robert Frost, Florida has been home to writers who have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape. Many of these authors were inspired by Florida’s unique scenery, culture, and history, and their works continue to captivate readers around the world.
Literature/Novels
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings†, Harry Crews†, Zora Neale Hurston, Padgett Powell, Lauren Groff, Joe Haldeman, Jill Ciment, Lawrence Dorr, Charlotte Porter, James Haskins, Rick Yancy, Janis Owens
History/Memoir
Michael Gannon†, Sudie Cauthen, Paul Ortiz, Bob Mason, Kevin McCarthy, James Haskins†, Rick Kilby, David Coburn, Gary Mormino, Chris Monaco, John Pickard, Sidney Lanier†, George Barbour†, Daniel Schafer, Barbara Purdy, Jerry Milanich, Gary Libby, David Leavitt, Steve Noll
Naturalists/Environment
William Bartram†, John Muir†, Jack Davis, Archie Carr†, Bob Knight, Bill Belleville, Lars Andersen, Cynthia Barnett, Steve Noll, David Tedeger, Stetson Kennedy†, Margaret Tolbert, Murray Laurie, Gary Monroe
Poet Laureates
Robert Frost†, Lola Haskins, E. Stanley Richardson
Thank You to Our Community Partners
The Sunshine State Book Festival is funded in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County, FL. This program/event is funded in part by a grant from the City of Gainesville, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department. Additional funding for this program was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: DTN: 3642940 License #: CH66096 A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) www.floridaconsumerhelp.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.