Another successful chapter of the Mississippi Book Festival has come to an end, with the state’s largest literary lawn party helping tens of thousands of readers unite through this year’s events.
Through pop-up reading hours and kids’ programming to the festival itself, the final tally of readers impacted by the 2025 Mississippi Book Festival landed at 23,125, according to festival officials.
“More than 8,020 book enthusiasts convened [Saturday] at the 11th annual Mississippi Book Festival!,” a statement from the Mississippi Book Festival read. “Downtown Jackson came alive as festival-goers heard from hundreds of authors at the historic Mississippi State Capitol, Galloway Methodist Church, and First Baptist Jackson.”
“Over the courts of all festival events – including kids’ programming in the Mississippi Delta and Jackson – the festival reached 23,125 people. Thank you, book community, for another incredible year of the Mississippi Book Festival!”
Saturday’s panelists included, but were not limited to, Pulitzer winners like Kai Bird and Geraldine Brooks and bestselling authors such as Jonathan Allen, W. Ralph Eubanks, Peter Brown, Angie Thomas, Addie E. Citchens, Wright Thompson, Jason Reynolds, Annie B. Jones, John T. Edge, and Imani Perry.
One of the localized panels that drew a large crowd was centered on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and featured former Gov. Haley Barbour, Mississippi State University President Dr. Mark Keenum, philanthropist and businessman Jim Barksdale, and Mississippi Speaker Pro Tempore Manly Barton. It was moderated by former Sun Herald publisher and SuperTalk Mississippi radio host Ricky Mathews, who was vice chair of Barbour’s post-Katrina commission with Barksdale serving as chair.
“It’s hard to describe how good it was to see everyone on Saturday. It’s incredible to think it’s been 20 years since Katrina, when we were deep in developing a roadmap for the mess we were in,” Mathews said. “There was something really special that developed between those of us on the Governor’s Commission. In a way, our souls connected.”
For those who missed this year’s edition of the Mississippi Book Festival or had two panels they wanted to attend take place at the same time, the festival recorded all sessions and will soon archive them on its website for readers to watch for free.
