The Amelia Island Book Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary with a star-studded 'Evening with Authors'

The Amelia Island Book Festival is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming six celebrity authors to Amelia Island. This year’s star-studded list includes Claire Cook, Ashley Elston, Mary Alice Monroe, Philipp Meyer, Kate Quinn, and Kristy Woodson Harvey. Local author and honorary Chairman, Kevin Powers, rounds out the lineup.

Honoring their 25th anniversary, the festival has chosen the theme of Hollywood Nights for their Evening with the Authors, their annual fundraising gala. Each of the authors has had a book made into a major motion picture, a made-for-television movie, or a series, or has a book currently optioned for future production.

Local author and honorary Chairman, Kevin Powers’ book, "The Yellow Birds," is a harrowing story of two young soldiers trying to stay alive. Jennifer Aniston and Toni Collette played pivotal roles in the movie. He has been a finalist for the National Book Award and a recipient of the PEN/Hemingway Award, the  Guardian First Book Award, the Prix littéraire du Monde, prix étranger, and the Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine, among other recognitions. Kevin is a U.S. Army veteran of the Iraq War.

The Evening with the Authors fundraising gala’s goal is to support the Amelia Island Book Festival’s flagship project — Authors in Schools. Each year, hundreds of children’s and young adult authors apply to participate in this engaging program. This year, the Amelia Island Book Festival will distribute almost 8,500 books to students throughout Nassau County. In addition, funds raised through the event will help continue their organization’s short story contest and scholarship programs.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, the community is invited to attend the Amelia Island Book Festival’s day of literary fun. Saturday’s free event will feature an expo of around 100 authors, mainly self-published. Families can take part in the Kids Zone, which includes a bounce house, story time, and other children’s activities. Fernandina Beach Middle School 315 Citrona Drive, Fernandina Beach, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Evening with the Authors Fundraising Gala

Friday, February 27 – 6 p.m.

The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Amelia Island Book Festival