The story
Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson
The Mississippi Book Festival is a free, one-day literary festival held on the grounds of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, drawing hundreds of authors for panel discussions, signings, and a marketplace of independent booksellers. Billed as a literary lawn party, it combines the Capitol's formal rooms with outdoor vendor and food areas.
The Mississippi Book Festival began as an effort to give the state, whose literary output includes figures like William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Richard Wright, a dedicated public celebration of books and authors, choosing the grounds of the State Capitol in Jackson as its setting rather than a conventional convention hall.