So, what exactly is YALLFest? Only every book lovers dream. A weekend full of novels, authors, events, giveaways, and much more! YALLFest, or Young Adult Literature Lovers Fest, is held annually right here in Charleston, South Carolina. Co-founded and sponsored by Blue Bicycle Books, the festival takes place on Upper King Street and the surrounding areas. The festival draws crowds in the thousands from around the country and the globe, and this year it will take place on November 8th & 9th.
Photo courtesy of Blue Bicycle Books
Events at YALLFest include author signings, panels, giveaways, and concludes with the Smackdown! It is a great place to go to meet your favorite people from the book community and have fun with new people. There is food, games, and lots of merchandise available throughout the festival.
Angie Thomas and Nic Stone, authors of “The Hate U Give” and “Dear Martin” respectively, will be hosting the highly anticipated Smackdown, in which favorite authors will compete in games onstage. Keynote conversations will be given by authors such as Holly Black, Roshani Chokshi, Stephanie Garber, and Karen M. McManus. Additional authors attending include Veronica Roth, Neil Shusterman, Adam Silvera, David Levithan, Jenny Han, Kami Garcia, Renée Ahdieh, and more. Booktuber turned author Christine Riccio (@polandbananasbooks) will be present alongside Booksplosion Book Club members Jesse George (@jessethereader) and Kat O’Keefe (@katytastic). Many of your old favorites and newest obsessions will be in Charleston signing books, taking photos, and getting to know fans, so make sure to come out and make an appearance!
Whether you are a die-hard YA fan or are just looking for a fun way to spend the weekend, be sure to make it out to this free event. If you aren’t able to make it to YALLFest but still want to join in on all the fun, try and make it to YALLWest, YALLFest’s sister festival, in Santa Monica, California.
For more information, visit YALLFest’s official website here.