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April 24-26, 2026

Word of South

Craig Pittman

Craig Pittman is a native Floridian, a best-selling author, a podcaster and an award-winning environmental journalist. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him “the most destructive force on campus.” In 40 years as a newspaper reporter, Craig covered a variety of beats and quite a few natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires and the Florida Legislature. He now writes a weekly column on environmental issues for the Florida Phoenix and is co-host of the popular podcast “Welcome to Florida.” Craig is also the author of seven non-fiction books. The newest one is Welcome to Florida: True Tales from America’s Most Interesting State. The Florida Heritage Book Festival named Craig a Florida Literary Legend in 2020, and in 2022 he was given the Rachel Carson Award by the Sierra Club. Craig lives in St. Petersburg with his wife and two children. He’ll be appearing at Word of South with the author Annie B. Jones and the musician Frank Douglas.