The official guide to the AJC Decatur Book Festival was be published in the Sunday, Aug. 26 editions of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The AJC Decatur Book Festival, the largest independent book festival in the nation, will be Friday, Aug. 31 through Sunday, Sept. 2 in downtown Decatur. The annual festival was first held on Labor Day weekend in 2006.

The 32-page guide will be included in printed editions and the AJC ePaper on Sunday.

Inside are maps and schedules, including a separate breakdown of activities for children, families and young adults.

If you’re looking for the event time and location for a specific event or author, you’ll find an index of speakers arranged alphabetically by last name. This index also indicates which book the author will be discussing at his/her event.

The festival schedule is also available online.

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Also included in the guide:

  • A map of the 17 festival venues across downtown Decatur
  • A map of festival exhibitors
  • Information about book sales and author signings
  • Children's Parade information
The cover of the AJC Decatur Book Festival 2018 Guide features the official poster.  The poster is the work of R. Gregory Christie, an award-winning Decatur, Ga.-based illustrator.
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AJC's connection to the festival 

The book festival is a nonprofit organization that receives funding and in-kind donations from the city of Decatur, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Emory University, Mail Chimp and other educational institutions and media outlets.

Authors to watch for at the festival

The AJC Decatur Book Festival claims a schedule of some 430 authors. They include:

  • Charles Frazier (historical fiction)
  • Melissa Faye Green (nonfiction, journalist, based in Atlanta)
  • Tayari Jones (novelist, formerly from Atlanta)
  • Armistead Maupin (San Francisco-based fiction author)

RELATED: 10 authors you don't want to miss at the AJC DBF

The guide includes a map of the 17 venues scattered across downtown Decatur.
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AJC journalists at the festival 

  • Mike Luckovich, cartoonist, Saturday, 3-3:45 p.m., Marriott Conference Center A
  • Kevin Riley, editor, Friday, 8 p.m., Schwartz Center at Emory University
  • Rosalind Bentley, Saturday, 1:45-2:30 p.m., Culinary Stage
  • Maureen Downey, Saturday, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Marriott Conference Center B
  • Bo Emerson, Saturday, 4:15-5 p.m., Marriott Conference Center B
  • Bria Felicien, Saturday, 1:45-2:30 p.m., Marriott Conference Center Auditorium
  • Rodney Ho, Saturday, 10-10:45 a.m., Decatur Library
  • Jim Galloway, Sunday, 5-5:45 p.m. , Marriott Conference Center B
  • Becca Godwin, Sunday, 1:15-2 p.m. , Marriott Conference Center C
  • Wiloughby Mariano , Sunday, 1:15-2 p.m., Marriott Conference Center A
  • Jeremy Redmon, reporter, Sunday, 3:45-4:30 p.m., Marriott Conference Center B
  • Jamie Sarrio, Saturday, 5:30-6:15 p.m., First Baptist Decatur Sanctuary
  • Authors and other celebrities will also appear at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution booth, located on E. Ponce de Leon Avenue at Clairemont Avenue. Tentative schedule includes: Saturday 10 a.m. Kenny Leon, Noon Mike Luckovich, 3:30 p.m. Karin Slaughter. Sunday,  Noon Charles Frazier.

2018 Festival Shirts

Like the 2018 poster art? Get yourself a T-shirt with a full color image of our 2018 artwork and support the AJC Decatur Book Festival at the same time: a portion of proceeds help fund the festival. They will be sold during the festival at select locations.

RELATED: Best Labor Day Weekend events and things to do in Atlanta

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Fireworks will be set off at dusk at Alpharetta’s Independence Day event at Wills Park. The photo shows a view of a previous year’s fireworks from the nearby Walk of Memories at American Legion Post 201. (Courtesy of Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau/Jack Tuszynski)

Credit: Jack Tuszynski/PhotoJack.net

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. (center) is flanked by GOP whip Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. (left) and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, as Thune speak to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the Senate passed the budget reconciliation package of President Donald Trump's signature bill of big tax breaks and spending cuts. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

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