We are happy to announce the 15th edition of The Calabash International Literary Festival—“For Word”—which takes place on May 26-28, at Treasure Beach, Jamaica. Taking place every two years, the last two festivals (2020 & 2022) were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See list of participating authors and more information in the links below.

The Calabash International Literary Festival was founded in 2001 by three Jamaicans the novelist Colin Channer, the poet Kwame Dawes and the producer Justine Henzell. Their aim was simple—to create a world-class literary festival with roots in Jamaica and branches reaching out into the wider world.

A three-day festival of readings and music with other forms of storytelling folded in the mix, Calabash is earthy, inspirational, daring and diverse. After 10 successive years, 2001-2010, Calabash was then staged on a biennial basis on even years, until 2018. The 2020 & 2022 festivals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic so the festival returns in 2023 for its 15th staging.

All festival events are free and open to the public. Passion is the only price of entry. But voluntary contributions are welcomed.

The festival is produced by the Calabash International Literary Festival Trust (the Trust), which also produces publishing seminars and writing workshops. The Trust is affiliated with the Friends of the Calabash International Literary Festival, a registered 501(c)(3) corporation in the United States.

For more information, see http://calabashfestival.org/, http://calabashfestival.org/info/, and http://calabashfestival.org/authors/