2009 North Carolina Literary Festival

How much does the festival cost?

The 2009 North Carolina Literary Festival is free and open to the public.

The following festival sessions will take place at Memorial Hall and are free and open to the public, but require tickets to reserve seating:

1.   Keynotes:  John Grisham and Kathy Reichs – Thursday, September 10, 7:30 pm 
2.   Keynote:  Elizabeth Strout – Saturday, September 12, 5:30 pm 
3.   Performance:  Lee Smith, Jill McCorkle, Matraca Berg and Marshall Chapman (Good Ol’ Girls)
      - Saturday, September 12, 8:00 pm
4.   Performance – Clyde Edgerton and Mike Craver (The Bible Salesman)
      - Sunday, September 13, 4:00 pm

Tickets are available at Memorial Hall.   Tickets can be reserved by calling 919-843-3333 or in person at
Memorial Hall Box office, located on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus:
     10:00am - 6:00pm, Monday - Friday
       3:00pm - 8:00pm, Saturday, September 12
       2:00pm - 4:30pm, Sunday, September 13
Limit 4 tickets per person
Click here for additional Memorial Hall information.
    
Do I need to reserve seating for festival programs?

No, seating is provided on a first-come, first-served basis.  All venues will be open as soon as seating from previous sessions has been cleared.  For some of the more popular programs we expect that there will be lines and recommend that you arrive early.

How long do each of the sessions last?

The sessions will last fifty-five minutes, including audience question and answer time.

Will books be sold at the festival?

Yes, the Bull's Head Bookshop’s main book sale area will be located in the center of the festival.  Each venue will house a mini book sale area where authors’ books will be sold directly before and after their session at the venue in which they speak.

When and where will the book signings take place?

Authors will sign books immediately after the conclusion of their speaking session. Each venue will consist of a book signing area and will be clearly marked.  Depending on the length of the book signing lines, festival attendees may be permitted only one or two signed books per author.  The only authors/artists unavailable for book signings are John Grisham and Anna Deavere Smith.  Rick Bragg will only sign books after his second scheduled appearance (Saturday, September 12, 1:30pm). 

How far away are the venues from one another?

All venues are within a two to ten minute walk.  All venues are handicapped accessible.  There will be extensive signage at the festival, an information booth and festival volunteers who will provide guidance. 

May I record or photograph the sessions?

No, we cannot permit any recording of the events, including photographing.

There are currently no plans to disseminate recordings of the programs.

Are animals allowed at the festival?

No, animals are not permitted at the festival for your safety and theirs.  Official registered safety dogs are allowed.

Where can I park?
Festival parking is free and open to the public in the following parking areas on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13: Cobb Parking Deck; Rams Head Parking Deck; McCauley Lot. On Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11, some visitor parking is available at The Visitors’ Center in the Morehead Planetarium parking lot. Visitors may also park in seven designated pay lots and seven metered spaces across campus  Rates vary from 75 cents to $2 per hour.

Town of Chapel Hill parking lots are open at 7:30 am to 11:00 pm, Monday-Thursday; 7:30 am to 2:30 am Friday: at the corner of Rosemary and Henderson Streets (Rosemary Street is one block north of Franklin Street); at the corner of North Columbia and Rosemary Streets; at the corner of Church and West Rosemary Streets; at 150 East Rosemary Street; at 415 West Franklin Street. Metered parking spaces are available on Franklin Street (one-hour maximum) and on Rosemary, Henderson and Columbia Streets (two-hour maximum).  Click here for additional parking information. 

Are there any shuttle buses?
Chapel Hill Transit provides two shuttle routes around the UNC-Chapel Hill campus (RU route and U route). On Saturday and Sunday, the Chapel Hill Transit shuttle is free and open to the general public and will transport festival attendees to and from the designated public parking areas at UNC-Chapel Hill and the festival.  Shuttle service will start one and a half hours before the first festival session, end one and a half hours after the final session and run every 10 minutes.  Click here for a shuttle map.

Where should I stay?
The Carolina Inn is the official hotel for the North Carolina Literary Festival.  Click here for other accommodation information in Chapel Hill and Orange County.

Where can I eat?
Various restaurants, such as Subway and Chick-fil-A, will be open in Lenoir on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill during the festival hours, along with a few food vendors located within the festival.  There are also many restaurants located on Franklin Street.  The only festival session providing food samples at the conclusion of the session will take place at Carroll Hall on Sunday, September 13 at 12:20pm (Chefs of the Triangle:  Ann Prospero, Bill Smith, Brett Jennings).  Click here for other restaurant information in Chapel Hill and Orange County.   

Are there disability services?
Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the festival office at 919-843-7691. Requests should be made by September 7 or as early as possible to allow time to arrange accommodations.