In 2022, Sharon Felzer was inspired to find a way to bring more discourse and conversation to the Jackson Community and beyond. She always believed that books and the written word established the perfect platform for important, necessary, and spirited discussion and thinking, whether through fiction, biographies, memoirs, non-fiction, literary classics or children’s books. With this, the concept of the Jackson Hole Book Festival: Conversation for the Community came to exist.
Kathleen Brown enjoyed attending the Savannah Book Festival while living in the Southeast. Following her move to Jackson she wondered why, and if, a book festival could start here. The Wilson Book Gallery introduced Sharon and Kathleen and the two began a partnership to create the first Jackson Hole Book Festival.
Now, after the first successful Book Festival in 2024, it is clear that the Jackson community and beyond will embrace an annual Book Festival, where ideas can be celebrated and the written word can help lead to greater conversation, discourse, and understanding.
Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.
This project was supported in part by the Wyoming Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Wyoming and the National Endowment for the Arts.
This project was funded by a grant from the
Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.
This event has been made possible through a grant from Wyoming Humanities.
The Jackson Hole Book Festival is a full day celebration of conversation between authors and readers of all literary genres, from fiction to non-fiction, biography to memoir, poetry to history. In 2024, thirty nationally known authors from across Wyoming and the US engaged with audiences about their own recently published books and other related topics. Throughout the day, thematic panel conversations with the authors – moderated by experts – allowed deep and substantive discussions amongst themselves and with audience members. The day epitomized a Conversation for the Community.
The Jackson Hole Book Festival celebrates books, authors, and readers to inspire conversation, deepen understanding, and enrich the connections within the community.
Kathleen enjoyed attending the Savannah Book Festival while living in the Southeast, listening and talking to authors speak about their writings and issues of the day. Following her move to Jackson she wondered why, and if a book festival could start here. Happily, she was introduced to Sharon Felzer and began a partnership to create the first Jackson Hole Book Festival. Jackson is fortunate to have many events and celebrations within our town, and a celebration of connecting authors and readers in a one-day festival, free to everyone, seemed an important goal to pursue.
My mother instilled in me a love for books, and shared the secret that 'books are your friends.' As we continue to see isolation and loneliness in our communities, I want the Book Festival to open up new ideas, dreams and introduce new 'friends' to all.
A couple of years ago, Sharon was inspired to find a way to bring more discourse and conversation to the Jackson Community and beyond. She always believed that books established the perfect platform for interesting and lively discussion and thinking, whether through fiction, biographies, memoirs, non-fiction, literary classics or children’s books. With this, the concept of the Jackson Hole Book Festival: Conversation for the Community came to exist.
Now, several years later, in collaboration with co-founder Kathleen Brown, the notion of people gathering around books, ideas, and conversation has become a reality for the Jackson community and surrounding towns and cities across the Mountain West.
I love books. I love to stare at my books on the shelves. Book festivals celebrate everything that I love about books. They generate ideas, inspire creativity, and produce the best conversations. Most important to me, they bring all kinds of people together through their wisdom and insights. I can’t remember a time when conversation for the community has been more essential than it is now.
