“I’ve come home to the place I was always writing about. I’ve tried to make Beaufort, South Carolina my own.”—Pat Conroy, The Death of Santini
Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, this year’s Tenth Annual Pat Conroy Literary Festival will celebrate Pat Conroy’s 80th birthday with a weekend of special events featuring author panels, book signings, workshops, readings, tours, exhibits, and gatherings.
FEATURING BESTSELLING AUTHORS: Adriana Trigiani (The View from Lake Como), Patti Callahan Henry (The Story She Left Behind), National Book Award Winner Jason Mott (People Like Us), Chris Pavone (The Doorman), Chris Whitaker (All the Colors of the Dark), John Hart (The Unwilling) and more
CELEBRATE PAT CONROY AT 80 with Conroy’s family, friends, and fellow lowcountry authors: Cassandra King, Tim Conroy, Valerie Sayers, John Warley, Cliff Graubart, Bernie Schein, Stephanie Austin Edwards, Ellen Malphrus, and Lynn & Cele Seldon — plus special festival guest, Academy Award-nominated actor Michael O’Keefe (scheduled to appear)
The Pat Conroy Literary Festival is made possible by the generous support and collaboration of the Robert S. Handler Charitable Trust; the South Carolina Arts Commission; Apollon Wealth Management; Publix Super Markets Charities; Bank of America Private Bank; Oyster Cay Collection; Rebecca Dwight Bruff, Author; Gilbert Law Firm; Bay Street Jewelers; Lynn & Wheeler, CPAs, PA; Carolina Air, Inc.; Lowcountry Real Estate; Eugene A. Rugala & Associates; Palmetto State Bank; Alice and Gene Howard; Alphagraphics; Lowcountry Weekly; the Rhett Gallery; the Beaufort Bookstore; and NeverMore Books.
~ FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ~
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
5:30-8:00 p.m. Fundraiser event with special guest Academy Award-nominated actor Michael O’Keefe at Tidalholm, benefiting the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center — with catering by Debbi Covington and appearances by festival authors and friends. $500+/person https://conroyfest2025previewparty.eventbrite.com
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24
10:00 to 11:30 a.m. WORKSHOP: Firing the Clay poetry workshop with Tim Conroy, Susan Madison, and special guest Michael O’Keefe. $60/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://firingtheclayworkshop2.eventbrite.com
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. TOUR & TASTINGS: Taste of the Lowcountry Crawl walking tour led by Lynn and Cele Seldon. $75/person (Meet at McIntosh Book Shoppe, Beaufort) Register: https://tasteofthelowcountrycrawl.eventbrite.com
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. WORKSHOP: Thriller Writers Playbook led by John Hart with Sean A. Scapellato. $75/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://thethrillerwritersplaybook.eventbrite.com
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. POETRY IN THE PARK: Tim Conroy, Susan Madison, Jacquelyn Markham, Jason Mott, Brea Parker, and more. Free. (Witness Tree Park, across King Street from the Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St.) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
5:00 to 6:30 p.m. AUTHOR EVENT: National Book Award winner Jason Mott (People Like Us) in conversation with DAYLO on the Air podcast hosts Emily Alaia and Hernando Rizo, with Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt. $10/person. (Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, 711 Bladen St., Beaufort) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. AUTHOR EVENT: Pat Conroy at 80 panel, moderated by USC Beaufort Writer in Residence Ellen Malphrus, in conversation with authors Stephanie Austin Edwards, Cliff Graubart, Valerie Sayers, Bernie Schein, and John Warley. $25/person. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
11:30 to 12:30 p.m. AUTHOR EVENT: Writing for the Thrill of It All panel, moderated by Conroy Center board chair Sean A. Scapellato, in conversation with bestselling writers John Hart (The Unwilling), Chris Whitaker (All the Colors of the Dark), and Chris Pavone (The Doorman). $25/person. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. FOOD TRUCK: Grub by Jay’s. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort)
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
12:30 to 2:00 p.m. WORKSHOP: Walking and Writing, led by Valerie Sayers $50/person (Conroy Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://walkingandwriting.eventbrite.com
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. AUTHOR EVENT: Lowcountry Literary Ladies panel with bestselling authors Patti Callahan Henry (The Story She Left Behind) and Conroy Center honorary chair Cassandra King (Tell Me a Story), moderated by Lowcountry Weekly editor Margaret Evans. $25/person (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PUBLISHING EVENT: Join New York Times bestselling author Chris Pavone (The Doorman) in conversation with literary agent Marly Rusoff and publishing executive Sara Nelson, (senior VP and executive editor of Harper Collins) as they engage in a wide-ranging discussion of the art, the craft, and the business of writing and publishing today. $25/person. (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. RECEPTION: Join us at the Pat Conroy Literary Center after hours to meet and mingle with festival authors and friends. Wine and refreshments. $40/person. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
Noon to 2:00 p.m. AUTHOR BRUNCH featuring Adriana Trigiani and the Beaufort Mass Choir. Join us for a gospel brunch featuring a performance by the Beaufort Mass Choir and a discussion with bestselling author Adriana Trigiani (The View from Lake Como), with catering by Her Table — and an 80th birthday cake for Pat Conroy. Registration fee also includes a copy of The View from Lake Como and a donation in support of the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center’s annual Camp Conroy and annual Storybuilders program at Lady’s Island Elementary School. $125/person. (Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, 711 Bladen St., Beaufort) Followed by a book signing. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
Noon to 4:00 p.m. TOURS: Pat Conroy Literary Center open to the public for guided tours. Free. (601 Bladen St., Beaufort)
~ FRIDAY & SATURDAY FESTIVAL PASS: $125 (a $25 savings), includes all author presentation events on Friday (Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce) & Saturday (USC Beaufort Center for the Arts) + Saturday evening reception (Pat Conroy Literary Center). Does not include any Thursday or Sunday events, any writers workshops, or the Taste of the Lowcountry Crawl, all of which can be reserved separately. Register: https://patconroyliteraryfestival2025.eventbrite.com
~STUDENTS: All author events at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce on Friday, 10/24, at the USC Beaufort Center for the Arts on Saturday, 10/25, are free to high school and college students with student IDs.
www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
