About the Book Festival & Author Series
A Brief History
The Martha's Vineyard Book Festival was founded in 2005 as an outgrowth of the Chilmark Community Center's evening lecture series, where author talks were always the best-attended events. Inspired by the National Book Festival launched in Washington, DC in 2001, and drawing on the island's rich literary history, the festival was created under the sponsorship of the Chilmark Town Affairs Council, a 501(c)(3) organization overseeing the Chilmark Community Center’s summer programs. From the beginning, the festival has been free and open to the public — and remains so today.
Bunch of Grapes, the island's beloved independent bookstore, was a founding partner, and the Vineyard Gazette has been a stalwart media sponsor from the start, producing a beautiful supplement for each festival.
At the first festival, all authors were local and programming included children's and young adult books. When Judy Blume agreed to speak, it was clear something special was underway. The festival has since grown into a nationally recognized event, featuring newly published adult fiction and nonfiction across a range of genres, with authors traveling from across the country to participate. A distinguished Advisory Board guides author selection and programming.
In 2012, the Martha's Vineyard Author Series was launched, and the Book Festival and Author Series are now held in alternating years. The Author Series features world-class authors speaking to sold-out crowds at the Chilmark Community Center and other Island venues on Thursday and Sunday evenings throughout the summer.
As the programming of the Book Festival and Author Series grew, it was apparent that it needed its own dedicated Board of Directors. In 2025, the festival became an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival, Inc., while continuing to work in partnership with the Chilmark Town Affairs Council.
The Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival is a free festival held every other summer (in the odd-numbered years) on the first weekend of August in Chilmark, MA on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. This biennial, multi-day literary celebration was founded in 2005. It brings together nationally and internationally recognized authors for panel discussions on topical issues, author talks, and book signings. It provides an immersive weekend of community engagement with some of the country's thought leaders and literary stars. The festival is carefully curated to ensure representation of a broad range of genres and interests and to focus on the important issues of the time.
About the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival
The Martha’s Vineyard Author Series is held in the alternating years of the Martha's Vineyard Book Festival (in the even-numbered years). Rather than a concentrated festival weekend, it features author events spread across the summer season. Held at several venues on Martha's Vineyard and generally on Thursday or Sunday evenings, the Author Series provides an immersive event with one author or for a panel discussion with several authors on a cutting edge issue. All events are ticketed since the Author Series helps fund the free Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival. To support the authors, the featured author's book is included in the ticket price for the event.