Inaugural Virginia Hamilton Literary Festival Set for October 2027

The festival aims to become an annual affair, showcasing renowned writers and illustrators, including Adoff, as well as various vendors of literature. Additionally, it will present the Virginia Hamilton Emerging Author Award to four local students. The Yellow Springs Community Foundation is serving as the event’s fiscal sponsor.

Adoff emphasized that the festival is designed for all ages, engaging not just established writers but also young readers. He expressed a commitment to honoring both his mother’s legacy and promoting new diverse voices in literature. “We’re working to make something that will appeal to everyone,” he said. “I want this to be something that honors my mom’s legacy but also the local connections.”

Virginia Hamilton, an influential figure in children's literature, published 41 books across various genres before her passing in 2002. She was the first Black woman to receive the Newbery Medal and was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal and the MacArthur Fellowship.

The festival's location at the Union Schoolhouse is significant, as it is where Hamilton attended elementary school in the 1940s. Adoff acknowledges the collaboration of local figures and organizations in making the festival possible, including architect Max Crome and resident Dave Chappelle.

Adoff hopes the festival will address a gap left by the Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature for Youth, which had been held at Kent State University from 1985 until its dissolution in 2024. He aims to create a public event that resonates with current societal issues, stating, “If you’re going to have a festival, do it while you can.”

Further updates on the Virginia Hamilton Literary Festival will be provided as the date approaches.