Sunshine State Book Festival
January 23 – 24, 2026
Author Registration Opens July 1
Event Schedule
Friday, January 23, 2026
Best Western Gateway Grand Ballroom
4200 NW 97th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Workshop Intensive
(registration required)
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Opening-night reception
Readers, sponsors, and interested members of the public—come mingle with the authors. Free!
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall
3000 NW 83rd St., Gainesville, Florida
10:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m.
Meet Authors Showcase and Expo
Come and enjoy a day of browsing. Meet 100 local and regional authors, talk with them about their writing, and purchase signed books.
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Sunshine State Teen Lit Awards Ceremony
Area middle school and high school student winners of the Sunshine State Teen Lit Short Story Contest will be awarded scholarships. Sponsored by Steve Spurrier’s HBC Foundation.
12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Children’s Story Time
Six children’s book authors will read and entertain the little ones in half-hour intervals. Free activity worksheets to take home
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Santa Fe Lyceum Theater (Building E).
Key Note Speaker TBD
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Santa Fe Lyceum Theater (Building E).
Pamela D. Marshall presents Zora Neale Hurston
Accommodations
Best Western Gateway Grand
4200 NW 97th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
Best Western Gateway Grand, nearest hotel to Santa Fe College, is offering out-of-town authors and attendees rooms at a discounted rate. To receive the discount you must use this link and reserve your room before December 31, 2025.
Thank You to Our Community Partners
