Southern Gothic Festival

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Southern Gothic Festival

Southern Gothic Festival • Camden • SC
October 9-10, 2026

02/25/2026

David Joy returns to the Southern Gothic Festival 2026.

An acclaimed voice in Southern Noir, Joy’s work is deeply rooted in Appalachia, shaped by place, history, and the lives of the communities he writes about. A twelfth-generation North Carolinian, he grew up along the Catawba River and now lives in the mountains of Jackson County, where the region continues to inform his storytelling.

He is the author of five novels, including Those We Thought We Knew (Willie Morris Award, Thomas Wolfe Prize), When These Mountains Burn (Dashiell Hammett Award), and The Line That Held Us (Southern Book Prize), along with The Weight of This World and Where All Light Tends to Go, an Edgar Award finalist for Best First Novel. His essays and stories have appeared in Garden & Gun, The New York Times Magazine, and TIME.

📍 Camden, South Carolina
📅 October 9–10, 2026
🖤 Southern Gothic Festival

Join us in Camden this October as David Joy returns for Southern Gothic 2026, bringing his atmospheric, place-driven storytelling back to the heart of the festival.

More Info: https://southerngothicfestival.com/

02/11/2026

We’re honored to welcome National Book Award winner Jason Mott to the Southern Gothic Festival 2026 lineup.

Best known for Hell of a Book, Mott’s writing moves between the real and the surreal, uncovering the hidden stories and quiet hauntings that shape our lives.

With a voice that is intimate, thought-provoking, and deeply human, Mott invites readers into stories that blur the line between memory and myth, past and present.

Join us in Camden on October 9–10 as Jason Mott brings his unforgettable storytelling to the Southern Gothic stage.

01/31/2026

From backroad legends to lingering spirits, Arcane Carolinas is headed to the 2026 Southern Gothic Festival.

Through their podcast Arcane Carolinas they explore the region’s ghost stories, dark legends, and folklore — the places where history lingers and the past never quite lets go.

Discover their stories wherever you get your podcasts.
https://www.arcanecarolinas.com/

More voices will be announced soon.
Save the date: October 9–10.
https://southerngothicfestival.com/

01/30/2026

New York Times bestselling author Karen White joins the Southern Gothic Festival lineup.

Known for her haunting Tradd Street novels set in historic Charleston, White weaves together family secrets, restless spirits, and the lingering weight of the past. Her stories remind us that in the South, history never truly stays buried.

More authors and speakers will be revealed soon.

Learn more: https://southerngothicfestival.com

01/29/2026

SAVE THE DATE
Southern Gothic Festival — Camden, South Carolina
October 9–10, 2026

The Southern Gothic Festival returns to historic Camden for two immersive days celebrating Southern literature, history, folklore, and music.

Join a wide range of voices — writers, historians, folklorists, musicians, and cultural storytellers — for conversations, performances, and gatherings across multiple venues throughout the city.

Expect haunting tales, thought-provoking panels, live music, and a curated marketplace that reflects the rich and layered culture of the South.

Mark your calendars, follow us for updates, and stay tuned for more details as we reveal the 2026 lineup and schedule.

10/11/2025

We’re not letting the rain stop us - come by the info booth for our program (and buy a festival tee while you’re here)! We’ve got Catawba Stories and Haunted Landscapes panels going on right now until 12!

10/07/2025

Meet Unlovely Frankenstein this Saturday Oct 11 at the Southern Gothic Festival’s vendor market. Expect bold, horror-inspired posters and prints—designed and printed in Columbia, SC. Browse cult-cinema riffs, monsters, grindhouse vibes, stickers, and more, then snag your favorites in person.

Preview their work: https://unlovelyfrankenstein.com

10/06/2025

Southern Gothic Festival
Camden, South Carolina
This Friday & Saturday — October 10–11

This year’s featured voices include David Joy, acclaimed author known for his award-winning Appalachian grit; Valerie Bauerlein, Wall Street Journal reporter and author of The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty; and Dick Harpootlian, famed prosecutor of P*e Wee Gaskins and author of Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South.

On Friday night, Rutledge Street transforms into a gothic carnival with concerts by Valentine Wolfe and Wasted Wine.

Saturday features panels and presentations including:
– Haunted Landscapes in Southern Gothic Fiction with Julia Elliott, Nathan Ballingrud, and Lee Mandelo
– Folklore and Family with Allison Gunn and Emily Carpenter
– Spirits of the South with Jeffrey Anderson, Heather Freeman, and Tayannah Lee McQuillar

Plus discussions on Victorian mourning, Flannery O’Connor, and more. Meet authors Christopher Cook, Bryce Gibson, and Miles Gardner, and join paranormal investigations with Axis Paranormal’s Nicole Wood.

End the night with the Historic Camden Ghost Walk and a Backline concert at Greener Pastures Brewery.

Most events are free.
October 10–11 · Camden, SC

Visit https://SouthernGothicFestival.com
for the full schedule and venues.

10/02/2025

Listen to Columbia author Julia Elliott discuss her latest short story collection, "Hellions," in the context of the Southern Gothic genre alongside other notable authors Nathan Ballingrud and Lee Mandelo on October 11! This is just one of many amazing FREE panels that make up the programming for Camden's Southern Gothic Festival - visit https://southerngothicfestival.com/ for the full schedule!

09/22/2025

Southern Gothic Festival
📍 Camden, South Carolina
🗓 October 10–11

Two days of true crime, Southern noir, horror, history, music, folklore, and the paranormal at the Southern Gothic Festival—set in Camden, South Carolina’s oldest inland city.

✨ Headliners

– David Joy — Acclaimed author, award-winning Appalachian grit
– Valerie Bauerlein — Wall Street Journal reporter, The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
– Dick Harpootlian — Prosecutor of P*e Wee Gaskins, Dig Me a Grave

🎶 Friday, Oct 10 · 7–9:30 PM
Downtown Street Concert · Rutledge Street
Valentine Wolfe · Wasted Wine

📚 Saturday, Oct 11 · 11 AM–5 PM
Speakers, panels, vendors & food trucks
Historic Camden / Revolutionary War Park

🎻 Saturday, Oct 11 · 7–8 PM
Backline: Gothic Bluegrass Concert
Greener Pastures Brewery

👉 Visit https://SouthernGothicFestival.com
for the full schedule & venues.

09/14/2025

📢 Southern Gothic Festival After Party

Saturday, October 11 | 7:00 PM
📍 Greener Pastures Brewery
826 Broad Street, Camden, SC 29020

Save the date for the grand finale of the Southern Gothic Festival! 🎶 We’re closing out the weekend at Greener Pastures Brewery with a gothic-bluegrass performance by Backline: https://backlinesc.com/home

Mark your calendars and make plans to be in downtown Camden for the last night of the Southern Gothic Festival. This is where the weekend ends—with music, friends, and a true Southern Gothic gathering.

Address

Camden, SC
29201

Website

http://southerngothicfestival.com/

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