ABOUT US

Our Story

The Lexington Book Festival originated from a conversation between Pig City Books owner Sedley Abercrombie and a group of North Carolina authors attending an event at the store in December 2022. Over a cider, the group selected a date, Sedley recruited a group of book-loving friends, and the Lexington Book Festival was born.

In March 2023, we were thrilled to welcome twenty authors including Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Alan Gratz, Jo Hackl, Charlie Lovett, Amber Smith, and Ed Southern, and an enthusiastic crowd of readers. An estimated 500 attendees came to the panels and events.

In addition to panels, the inaugural festival included author signings, children's readings, and local vendors.

After receiving positive feedback from the community, the coordinating committee decided to codify Lexington Book Festival as a nonprofit organization to intentionally bring together readers and writers.

Our Mission

The Lexington Book Festival is a literary arts nonprofit whose mission is to connect readers and writers. We endeavor to spark a passion for literature in new readers and deepen the enjoyment of literature in readers of all ages.

Our Vision

The Lexington Book Festival will bring writers of fiction and nonfiction into our community. We will provide opportunities for children, teens, and adults to interact with literature and writers in meaningful ways.

Our Values

At the Lexington Book Festival, we celebrate the power of literature to foster inclusion and understanding. Books are not just mirrors, reflecting our own lives, but also windows that open up new perspectives and allow us to glimpse lives and stories different from our own. They become sliding glass doors, transporting us into captivating worlds, while awakening empathy within us for the diverse characters we encounter. Together, let's open these literary portals and embrace the transformative journey of inclusivity.

(Inspired by Rudine Sims Bishop's Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors)