# Event Details

- **Event Name**: 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair
- **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 09 Apr, 2026 at 09:00 am – Sun, 12 Apr, 2026 at 05:00 pm (-04:00)
- **Event Description**: The Caribbean Writer collaborates with Virgin Islands Literary Festival & Book Fair for the 2026 literary eventAbout this EventThe Virgin Islands Literary Festival and Book Fair (VI LitFest) is proud to host the 12th iteration of the literary celebrationfrom April 9 to 12, 2026 under the theme, “Caribbean Literature: A Force of Representation.”In MemoriamHonoring our Friends and Supporters no longer with usElisa McKay and Peter RokaBorn in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of the Virgin Islands and now presented in partnership with UVI’s The Caribbean Writer, under the auspices of the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development, the festival continues to grow in scope and significance.“We are delighted to celebrate our 12th year,” VILF Chairperson Alscess Lewis-Brown said. “This is a big year for us since it coincides with the 40th anniversary of The Caribbean Writer (TCW), the university’s international literary journal” of which Lewis-Brown is the editor.The festival kicks off Thursday morning with pre LitFest author visits to St. Croix Schools. In the afternoon, successful scholarly papers will be presented by writers who responded to TCW’s call for papers. In the evening, a reception will be held at Government House. Friday morning consists of keynote panels followed by small group, interactive workshops. In the evening there will be the Book Bacchanal at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts where the community is invited to mix and mingle with award-winning authors as they read. Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. begins with the now world-famous Bush Tea Morning Social. The cuisine consists of bush tea with any Caribbean food the heart desires along with an earful of entertainment, poetry and music. Engaging discussions, immersive workshops and a special film screening are all woven into the day’s offering. Authors will visit Undercover Book and Gifts as well, offering book signing opportunities. On Saturday evening, an Ekphrastic poetry writing competition will be hosted at Cane Roots Art Gallery in Times Square. On the final day of the festival, Sunday, all roads lead to the Children’s Museum of St. Croix for the Children’s LitFest; then, from 2 to 5pm, the festival showcases the online Writer’s Roogoodoo—an opportunity for writers to connect virtually to share their work, particularly those published in The Caribbean Writer.According to VILF Chairperson Lewis-Brown, the festival has over the years delivered a powerful set of tangible benefits that strengthen the territory’s cultural, educational, and social landscape. “The Festival elevates Virgin Islands identity by showcasing local writers and thinkers while connecting the territory to the wider Caribbean and global literary community. And that impact is further deepened with the release of four new books by emerging authors, expanding the region’s creative output and giving new voices a meaningful platform.,” she said.Educationally, she noted that the festival offers rare, high value opportunities for students, teachers, and aspiring writers to engage directly with accomplished publishers, authors and scholars. “Workshops, readings, and discussions broaden intellectual horizons and nurture a culture both of curiosity and critical thinking,” she said.Each year, an average of 300 people come together, representing a vibrant mix of ages, backgrounds, and professions, to share spaces of intellectual engagement. This gathering strengthens community bonds and fosters networks that support long-term collaboration. “These connections extend beyond the territory, linking the VI to regional and international literary circles,” she said.Lewis-Brown also expressed heartfelt gratitude for the festival’s financial partners, whose continued support makes the program possible year after year. She noted that the festival is eager to welcome additional sponsors as it continues to grow. Major backers include the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development; The Buccaneer Hotel; the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism; the University of the Virgin Islands’ College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences; UVI’s Cooperative Extension Service; UVI Research and Technology Park; the Virgin Islands Department of Education’s Division of Cultural Education and Division of Curriculum and Instruction; Diageo; the VI Lottery; the Virgin Islands Daily News; the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts; and The Caribbean Writer.This year’s program is especially significant with the presence of award-winning novelist Edwidge Danticat, who first published in The Caribbean Writer in 1987. Lewis-Brown noted that her return—alongside other distinguished literary peers—creates a powerful full-circle moment. Danticat’s journey from early publication to global acclaim offers a living example of what is possible, inspiring emerging writers to dare, to imagine, and to claim their creative space.The list of high-profile authors and literati include the following (listed alphabetically):CHANNA BANNIS is a seasoned marketing professional, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and proud mom. She is passionate about empowering people and companies to build from within—authentically.Her self-empowerment book series was born from a deeply personal question: “How do I prepare my son to navigate a world that may not always recognize his true worth?” Through these stories, Channa aims to affirm every child’s value, strengthen family connections, and spark meaningful conversations. She holds a Master’s in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Leadership from Tufts University and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Business Administration at Saint Mary’s College of California. Her academic research explores the intersection of marketing and diversity, aligning with her broader mission to create impact through storytelling. Above all, Channa’s most meaningful role is being a mom to her elementary-aged son—the heart and inspiration behind this empowering series.EDWIDGE DANTICAT is the author of several books, including Breath, Eyes, Memory, an Oprah Book Club selection, Krik? Krak!, a National Book Award finalist, The Farming of Bones, The Dew Breaker, Brother, I’m Dying, Create Dangerously, Claire of the Sea Light, The Art of Death, Everything Inside, a Reese’s Book Club selection and National Book Critics Circle Awards winner. She is also the editor of The Butterfly's Way: Voices from the Haitian Dyaspora in the United States, Best American Essays 2011, Haiti Noir, and Haiti Noir 2. She has written seven books for children and young adults: Anacaona, Behind the Mountains, Eight Days, The Last Mapou, Mama's Nightingale, Untwine, My Mommy Medicine, and a travel narrative, After the Dance. Her memoir, Brother, I'm Dying, was a 2007 finalist for the National Book Award and a 2008 winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography. She is a 2009 MacArthur Fellow, a 2018 Ford Foundation “Art of Change” fellow, the winner of the 2018 Neustadt International Prize, the 2019 St. Louis Literary Award, the 2011 Bocas Nonfiction Prize and 2020 Bocas Fiction Prize, the 2020 Vilcek Prize for Literature, a 2020 United States Artists Fellow, a two-time winner of The Story Prize, and the 2023 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story. Her essay collection, We’re Alone, will be published in September 2024. She teaches at Columbia University.DESMOND HALL was born in Jamaica, West Indies, and moved to Jamaica, Queens. He has worked as a high school biology and English teacher in East New York, Brooklyn; counseled teenage ex-cons after their release from Rikers Island; and served as Spike Lee’s creative director at Spike DDB. Desmond has served on the board of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and the Advertising Council and judged the One Show, the American Advertising Awards, and the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. He’s also been named one of Variety magazine’s Top 50 Creatives to Watch. Desmond is the author of the gritty YA novel Your Corner Darkwhich confronts the harsh realities of gang life in Jamaica and how far a teen is willing to go for family. He lives outside of Boston with his wife and two daughters.DONNA HEMANS is the author of River Woman, Tea by the Sea and Tree of a Thousand Feet (forthcoming from Zibby Books). In 2015, she won the Lignum Vitae Una Marson Award for Adult Literature for the unpublished manuscript of Tea by the Sea and was named co-winner of the 2003-4 Towson University Prize for Literature for River Woman. Donna’s short fiction and essays have appeared in Slice, Electric Literature, Ms. Magazine, The Rumpus, Crab Orchard Review, among others. She was the 2007-2008 Black Mountain Institute (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) International Women's Forum Fellow and twice served as the Lannan Visiting Creative Writer in Residence at Georgetown University. In addition, Donna has received grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Prince George's County Arts Council, as well as residential fellowships from Hedgebrook, Millay Colony for the Arts and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Donna received her undergraduate degree in English and Media Studies from Fordham University and an MFA from American University. She lives in Maryland, and is also the owner of DC Writers Room, a co-working studio for writers based in Washington, D.C.DAVID KNIGHT JR. is a writer, editor, poet and journalist from the US Virgin Islands. His essays, interviews, criticism and poems have appeared in numerous publications including ARC Magazine, The Caribbean Review of Books, Caribbean Beat, The Caribbean Writer and Forgotten Lands. He is the co-editor of the poetry anthology Like Salt and Wet Soil: Poems from the Rhyme and Lime, released in 2024. He is also the co-founding editor of Moko, a regional arts and literature journal based in the British and US Virgin Islands. He was the writer in residence at the Caribbean Linked program in Aruba, a presenter on Virgin Islands contemporary art in Copenhagen, Denmark, and has collaborated on arts programming in Barbados, Cuba and elsewhere. He is the co-owner of Bajo el Sol Gallery on St. John and co-founder of the Gri Gri Project. The Gri Gri Project’s mission is the creation of interpretive exhibitions, critical writing, events, and archives related to the cultural patrimony of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the broader Caribbean region.KELLY STARLING LYONS is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, a teaching artist, and an award-winning author of more than 30 books for young readers. Her mission is to center Black heroes, celebrate family, friendship, & heritage, and show all kids the stories they hold inside. Among her acclaimed picture books are Caldecott Honor winner Going Down Home with Daddy, illustrated by Daniel Minter; Christopher Award winner Tiara’s Hat Parade, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell; and Bank Street Best Books selections Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations, illustrated by Keith Mallett, and My Hands Tell a Story, illustrated by Tonya Engel. Kelly is also the author of three popular series for young people—chapter books starring her characters Jada Jones and Miles Lewis, and the Ty’s Travels easy readers which won a Geisel Honor for Zip, Zoom. Her nonfiction titles include two books in Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted series, chapter books on Dr. Dorothy I. Height and Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Kelly was named to Good Morning America’s 2021 list, Who’s Making Black History. She regularly presents to schools, libraries, festivals, and conferences around the country.MARSHA MESSIAH's love affair with stories began as she clung to the hemline of her grandmother's skirt, the eager, young, wide-eyed receiving vessel for generations of her families' stories. Unbeknownst to her family and herself, her purpose as a repository for Caribbean anthologies was being fashioned. Much later in adulthood and after two decades in education and event management as a hobby, Marsha migrated her passions to its happy place: the intersection of Caribbean stories, culture and history. The Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival was born out of her fiery devotion to her heritage and the need to promote the islands to which she is eternally indebted. She is a proud honors graduate of the University of the West Indies.BREANNA J. MCDANIEL (she/her/hers) is an emerging creative and early career scholar. She’s published in myriad academic journals, an academic anthology, and her debut picture book Hands Up! was published with Dial Books in 2019. Since its publication, Hands Up! was selected as a children’s book that “Books All Young Georgians Should Read” in 2019 by the Georgia Center for the Book. Recognized by the Chicago Public Library as, “one of the very best picture books published for kids from birth to 3rd grade in 2019,” in their Best of the Best Books round-up for 2019 and finally, Hands Up! was awarded the “2021 First Novelist Honor Book” by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. and School Library Journal.She is also the author of other picture books, including Atlanta, My Home for the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office and Impossible Moon which was published with Denene Millner Books/ Simon and Schuster. Her newest book with Penguin Random House’s imprint Dial, Go Forth and Tell: The Life of August Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller, was published February 6, 2024 and has received five starred reviews along with the 2025 Ezra Jack Keats Writer award and the 2025 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. Her picture book, Cute Toot, was published in April 2024 and she also has two more forthcoming picture books with Henry Holt Books for Young Readers at Macmillan.ANNIE PAUL, an India-born, Kingston-based writer and critic who was editor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) journal Social and Economic Studies till 2021 when she retired from the university. She was the 2023 Lakes writer-in-residence at Smith College (USA) where she taught a course called Writing, because. In 2020 she published a biography of Stuart Hall in UWI Press’s Caribbean Biography Series. Editor-in-chief of the new online magazine of writing PREE (preelit.com) and a founding editor of Small Axe she has been published in international journals and magazines such as Newsweek International, the Guardian (UK), Chimurenga, The Caravan (India), Slavery & Abolition, Art Journal, South Atlantic Quarterly, Wasafiri, Callaloo, and Bomb and a range of art books and catalogues such as the Brooklyn Museum’s Infinite Island and Documenta11’s Creolite and Creolization. Most recently Paul has published an edited selection from the first 5 issues of PREE, Bookmarked. She was on the board of the National Gallery of Jamaica and has published extensively on art. Paul is author of the blog Active Voice (anniepaul.net). You can follow her on Twitter @anniepaul and on Instagram @anniepaulish.SHAUN PENNINGTON is best known in the U.S. Virgin Islands as the founder of the St. Thomas Source, the first of the three online newspapers that make up the V.I. Source network. She launched the publication on January 15, 1999, pioneering digital news in the territory at a time when the internet was still emerging as a news platform. Her new book is entitled: The New Slavery: Sugar, HealthCare and the Medical Mafia”LEON PERKINS is a Crucian author who has expressed a commitment to enhancing financial literacy in his community. His work not only focuses on storytelling but also aims to provide educational tools that can be used in schools and homes alike. He has created a companion curriculum to accompany the book, further supporting its educational goals. Leon Perkins is dedicated to empowering the next generation with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate financial challenges, making his contributions significant in the field of children's literature and education.RAVEN PHILLIPS is a writer, poet, and cultural practitioner in the United States Virgin Islands. She has been a member of the Virgin Islands community since 2010, and the bonds she has built within that community guides much of her writing and activism. By spending her formative years commuting between St. Thomas and St. John, and sharing space with a variety of cultural practitioners, she gained a deep appreciation for the culture and people of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and she frequently advocates for structural change. She highly values cultural preservation, research, and self-expression through artistic mediums. Her works have appeared in the St. John Tradewinds, the V.I. Source, the V.I. Daily News, Destination Magazine, and The Caribbean Writer. She has also hosted Rhyme and Lime, a local spoken word and poetry jam at Bajo el Sol Gallery in St. John, USVI for nearly four years.KENNETH RAMCHAND previously taught for many years at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, at Trinidad & Tobago University and at Colgate University, New York. He also served as an independent Senator in the Senate of Trinidad and Tobago. In 1996, Ramchand was awarded a Trinidad and Tobago Chaconia Medal Gold for his work in Literature, Education and Culture. In 2012, the National Library of Trinidad and Tobago honoured him with a NALIS Lifetime Literary Achievement Award. At the 2014 NGC Bocas Lit Fest, Ramchand was honoured alongside Professor Gordon Rohlehr with the Bocas Henry Swanzy Award for Distinguished Service to Caribbean Letters, which recognises the lifetime achievement of editors, publishers, critics and broadcasters. In 2025, he was awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. Kenneth Ramchand is unquestionably one of the main founders of the study of West Indian literature in English. His publications include: West Indian Narrative: an Introductory Anthology (editor). London: Nelson, 1966; The West Indian Novel and its Background. London: Faber, 1970; An Introduction to the Study of West Indian Literature. Sunbury-on-Thames: Nelson Caribbean, 1976; West Indian Poetry: An Anthology for Schools (editor). London: Longman, 1989; Act of Possession: the New World of West Indian Writing. Port of Spain: Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, 1991.NANDA REDDY is a Guyanese-American writer, former fourth-grade teacher, and part of an enormous extended family who mostly live in Florida. Her father is one of seventeen siblings; her mom is one of nine; she has over fifty first cousins. They know her as Bobby. In her teaching days, she co-wrote , a day-to-day writing curriculum best suited for elementary classrooms. She loves visiting off-the-grid places with her husband and two teenage boys. To clear her mind, she runs or plays with watercolors. But her most favorite thing to do is read! Check out her favorite books on Goodreads! A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl is her debut novel.ETAF RUM is a Palestinian-American New York Times Bestselling author. Her debut novel, “A Woman Is Man,” garnered attention as a Today Show Read with Jenna Pick, marking the beginning of her literary acclaim. With her latest novel, “Evil Eye,” recognized as an NPR Best Book of the Year, Etaf Rum solidifies her position as a leading voice in literary fiction that transcends continents and histories. Compelling. . . . Rum’s nuanced approach to difficult questions of individual and cultural identity is refreshing.”CATHY MAE SITARAM started her career as a Los Angeles based entertainment journalist. She has committed her life to writing, producing and directing. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, and raised in the US Virgin Islands, Cathy graduated from the University of Maryland with a distinction as a President’s Scholar studying Radio, Film and Theatre. Cathy then worked as a news anchor/producer for the ABC Affiliate in the Virgin Islands and an on-air host for BET and E! Entertainment TV in Los Angeles and New York. Cathy moved back home to the Virgin Islands and opened a production company that won 14 awards. After more than 6 years away supporting her aging family, she steps back on the scene with a whole new vibe... “Gods of the Universe”.LOUISE STAPLETON is best documented as a publisher and rights‑holder in the U.S. Virgin Islands through her company LnL Publishing, LLC, which manages and distributes the works of bestselling financial author and trader Larry Williams. Her role is not that of a writer but of an author’s publisher and intellectual‑property manager.RICHARD WARBURG's work is especially visible in the biopharma, medical device, and digital health sectors, and he is professionally based in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to his expertise in biotechnology, Richard has significant experience with artificial intelligence, particularly in the application of AI to healthcare and intellectual property strategy. He has advised on the development and protection of AI-driven technologies and is recognized for bridging the gap between emerging digital innovations and regulatory or legal frameworks.According to Festival Chair Alscess Lewis-Brown, the festival promotes constructive humanistic activity by encouraging dialogue and reflection on history, identity, and social issues. Combined with its economic contributions to local businesses and cultural tourism, the VI Literary Festival stands as a vital engine of cultural vitality, community cohesion, and intellectual growth.She reiterated gratitude for the support the festival receives from the community at large, as well as for the financial backing from indispensable partners including: the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development; The Buccaneer Hotel, US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The University of the Virgin Islands’ College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, UVI’s Cooperative Extension Service, UVI Research and Technology Park, The Virgin Islands Department of Education’s Division of Cultural Education and the Division of Curriculum and Instruction, Diageo, The VI Lottery, The Virgin Islands Daily News, the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, and The Caribbean Writer. Donations (monetary and in-kind) from the community at large are also welcome as these directly support and strengthen the literary tradition. Checks should be made payable to the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development on behalf of the VI Lit Fest.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/golden-grove/2026-usvi-literary-festival-and-book-fair/100001984720343976
- **Event Categories**: Art, literary-art, Festivals, Kids, Workshops, Entertainment, Business, Contests, Exhibitions, Theatre, fine-arts, food-drinks, health-wellness
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 0

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Golden Grove
- **state**: SC
- **country**: Virgin Islands
- **location**: University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix
- **lat**: 17.7180298
- **long**: -64.7993412
- **full address**: University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix, Great Hall, Golden Grove, Virgin Islands

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events4/banners/d8a3ddb3373538b1f81520cce604a40a305c408bb10004d8d5007f0d75dd9692-rimg-w1200-h600-dcffffff-gmir.jpg?v=1773731101

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair being held?
  - **A:** 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair takes place on Thu, 09 Apr, 2026 at 09:00 am to Sun, 12 Apr, 2026 at 05:00 pm at University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix, Great Hall, Golden Grove, Virgin Islands.
- **Q**: Who is organizing 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair?
  - **A:** 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair is organized by Virgin Islands Literary Festival and Book Fair, Inc..
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair is ideal for festival lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a vibrant, immersive community experience. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Golden Grove, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If 2026 USVI Literary Festival and Book Fair sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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