Orcas Island Lit Fest Returns June 2 -3, 2023

Submitted by Event Organizer

Celebrating its fourth anniversary of bringing world-class literary talent to the San Juan Islands, the Orcas Island Lit Fest (OILF) will have something for everyone.

The festival will kick off on Friday night, June 2, with the popular open-to-the-public Lit Walk held at multiple venues around the village of Eastsound. The next day features the OILF Kids’ Fest, a free event on Saturday morning at the Orcas Island Library starring Haitian-born storyteller Ibi Zoboi, whose 2017 book American Street was a National Book Award finalist.

Also on Saturday, the Orcas Center will host a full day of panels and readings featuring Kirstin Valdez Quade, whose book The Five Wounds has been shortlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence; Pulitzer Prize winner Gilbert King; New York Times bestselling author and “5 under 35” honoree Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah; and Garth Stein, whose novel The Art of Racing in the Rain sold six million copies and was made into a feature film. The Saturday-evening spoken-word and music celebration is not to be missed!

Detailed information about this year’s artists, events, and tickets can be found at oilf.org. Festival news and updates are available on our Facebook and Instagram pages and by signing up for our newsletter. There’s also a virtual ticket option for those who can’t join the festival in person.

About the Orcas Island Lit Fest

The Orcas Island Lit Fest is an annual celebration of literature and community held on beautiful Orcas Island, highlighting the vibrant literary culture of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. From National Book Award winners to gifted new voices, our featured artists represent the finest in contemporary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, and more. The Lit Fest welcomes everyone who loves books to engage with world-class writers and their work in this intimate, inclusive setting.