Readers, writers and lovers of great storytelling will gather in Beaufort this fall for the 11th Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival, a celebration of books, authors, ideas and the Lowcountry community that inspired so much of Pat Conroy’s work.
This year’s festival carries special significance as the literary world marks the 50th anniversary of The Great Santini, Conroy’s landmark novel about family, the military and the complicated bonds between fathers and sons. The anniversary provides a fitting opportunity to celebrate Conroy’s enduring literary legacy while bringing together a new generation of writers and readers.
The festival features an exciting lineup of bestselling and award-winning authors, engaging conversations and panels, special events, food and fellowship, and unique opportunities to experience the Beaufort settings so closely connected to Conroy’s life and writing.
Among the festival highlights is the Preview Event, an extraordinary evening combining literature, entertainment and Lowcountry hospitality. Guests will have the opportunity to meet authors and special guests, including Matthew Quick, author of The Silver Linings Playbook, which was adapted into the acclaimed film (to be shown at the Festival), and actor Michael O’Keefe, known for his extensive film and television career. The evening will take place in the Beaufort home made famous in The Prince of Tides, offering guests the
rare opportunity to experience one of the area’s most recognizable literary and cinematic settings while enjoying food, drinks and conversation.
Additional festival programming will feature some of today’s most compelling Southern and contemporary writers, including conversations about fiction, memoir, Southern women’s writing and the craft of storytelling. Special events will offer opportunities for readers to meet authors in more intimate settings and experience the unique combination of literature, history, food and hospitality that makes the Conroy Festival distinctly Beaufort.
“Pat Conroy understood that the stories we tell are deeply connected to the places we love,” said Robert Gwaltney, Executive Director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center. “There is no better place to celebrate that idea than Beaufort. This year’s festival gives readers the chance not only to hear from remarkable writers, but to experience the landscapes and community that helped shape Conroy’s extraordinary body of work.”
Festival Schedule of Events in Beaufort
October 22
5:30-8 pm: Welcome Party Preview Event and Silent Auction, 601 Bay Street (The Prince of Tides House)
October 23
10am-12 noon: Truth or Dare, panel discussion, USCB Auditorium
1:15-3:30pm: The Silver Linings Playbook screening, USCB Auditorium
4:30-7:30PM: The Great Santini reception, interview w/Michael O’Keefe and movie screening (followed by Q&A with Bernie Schein), USCB Auditorium
October 24
10am-12 noon: “Fiction Can Fix Things” Lecture, Beaufort Library, 311 Scott St.
1-2:30 pm: Matthew Quick – Interview and Book Signing, USCB Auditorium
3-4:30Ppm: Southern Women Writers Panel Discussion, USCB Auditorium
5:30-7pm: Open House, Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St.
October 25
11am – 1pm: Brunch with writer Lynn Seldon, Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay Street
(For information about events in Charleston and Atlanta, visit www.patconroyliterarycenter.org)
The festival also offers visitors an opportunity to make a literary weekend of their time in Beaufort, with its historic downtown, waterfront, restaurants, galleries and distinctive Lowcountry character providing a natural backdrop for a celebration of books and writers.
Whether longtime Conroy readers or simply lovers of good stories, festival attendees will find opportunities to discover new authors, revisit beloved books, meet fellow readers and experience Beaufort through a literary lens.
The 11th Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival is presented by the Pat Conroy Literary Center. Tickets and complete festival information are available at https://patconroyliterarycenter.org/calendar/11th-annual-pat-conroy-literary-festival/.
About the Pat Conroy Literary Center
The Pat Conroy Literary Center honors the life and legacy of bestselling author Pat Conroy by celebrating the transformative power of literature, supporting writers and readers, and preserving Conroy’s connection to Beaufort and the Lowcountry. Through programs, exhibits, workshops, events and the annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival, the Center continues Conroy’s lifelong belief in the importance of stories and the people who tell them.
