The annual Independent Book Festival returns to Fredericksburg on October 12, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverfront Park. Founded in 2015 by local authors James Noll and Chris Jones, the festival offers writers a platform to promote their work, attend panels, and network with other authors.
Noll, who began his independent publishing journey in 2013, visited over 24 events in a single year—including comic cons, horror cons, and book festivals—in an effort to learn about the industry. “The travel was exhausting, but I realized nobody was hosting a book event in Fredericksburg,” said Noll. “So, I decided to make it happen.” He partnered with local writers Amy Bayne and Chris Jones to launch the festival. Though Bayne left the team in 2018, Noll and Jones continue to run the event.
Noll has written several sci-fi novels and numerous short stories, while Jones is an award-winning journalist who has authored two books and contributed to five others.
This year’s festival will feature a variety of speakers between 10:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., covering topics such as children’s literature, sci-fi, and the challenges of independent publishing. The talks will range from 15 to 30 minutes each. Spaces for authors have sold out, with 80 authors signed up to attend. A map of their locations is provided online with the authors’ names and genres.
The festival has hosted a full slate of speakers and panels every year. While it remains a one-day event, organizers are considering expanding it to two days in the future, with one day dedicated to workshops and business sessions for writers, and one day for festival activities.
The full event schedule is available online.
