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April 24-26, 2026
Stephanie Burt is a poet, literary critic, and professor with nine published books, including two critical books on poetry and three poetry collections. Burt’s essay collection Close Calls with Nonsense was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. In her book Taylor’s Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift, Burt offers […]
Stop Light Observations is a dynamic four-piece group hailing from Charleston, South Carolina. Their versatile sound is a unique blend of blues, pop, and indie rock infused with electronic beats and the soulful vocals of Will Blackburn. From songs like “2young” to “Security,” their music is a true reflection of their unique personalities, and their […]
Steph Post is the author of the novels A Tree Born Crooked, Lightwood, Walk in the Fire, Holding Smoke, Miraculum and Terra Incognita—gold medal winner of the 2024 Florida Book Award. She graduated from Davidson College as a recipient of the Patricia Cornwell Scholarship for Creative Writing and a winner of the Vereen Bell Writing […]
Sean Dietrich or ‘Sean of the South’ is a columnist, humorist, multi-instrumentalist, and stand-up storyteller known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared on The Today Show and in Newsweek, Southern Living, Garden and Gun and Reader’s Digest. His column appears weekly in newspapers throughout the U.S. He has […]
We are SAST Middle School Rock Band! We’ve performed at Adderley Amphitheater, the All-American City Conference in Denver, FSU, and much more. Our program focuses on creating a community of life-long musicians. Students pick the music, and we perform songs from Metallica, Black Sabbath, Blondie, Led Zeppelin, and many others. Be prepared to be amazed […]
Sandra Simonds, an award-winning writer and professor, is the author of ten books. Sandra has taught at Thomas University, Bennington College, Florida State University, and the University of Montana. Much of her writing focuses on capitalism, class, ecology, and gender through avant-garde experiments with genre and form. She is the author of nine collections of […]
Robert Boone Jr. is a Grammy-winning drummer/percussionist from Augusta, Georgia, currently performing with The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra and serving on the jazz faculty at Georgia State University. Deeply committed to music education and community outreach, he also teaches at various middle and high schools throughout Metro Atlanta. Boone has toured internationally across Japan, Africa, […]
River Selby was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Their debut memoir, Hotshot: A Life of Fire, was published in 2025 by Grove Atlantic. They worked as a wildland firefighter for seven years, stationed out of Oregon, California, Colorado, and Alaska. River is pursuing their PhD in Nonfiction with an emphasis in […]
Richard Powers is the author of fourteen novels, including The Overstory, Bewilderment, and Orfeo. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Award. He lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Powers’ 2024 release, Playground, is the 2026 selection for One Book Tally, a project of […]
R.L. Akers is the author of more than twenty published volumes of fiction, beginning with Prometheus Rebound in 2013. His works span multiple genres—including fantasy, science fiction, murder mystery, and Young Adult—and have been noted for their detailed world-building. At present, he is working to further expand his Overtwixt and Gray Gaynes series, actively writing […]