The third annual Tahoe Literary Festival returns to Tahoe City from Oct. 9 to 11, bringing acclaimed authors, poets, memoirists and literary professionals together for three days of conversations, panels, workshops, poetry, an open mic, book fair, Singer-Songwriters’ Showcase and Writers’ Retreat.

This year’s featured authors include bestselling author and two-time “Survivor” winner Parvati Shallow; California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick; Nevada Poet Laureate Shaun Griffin; author and Memoir Nation co-host Grant Faulkner; bestselling author Suzanne Roberts; and artist and naturalist Obi Kaufmann.

The lineup also includes Sarah Edmondson, Sands Hall, Priya Hutner, Melissa Duge Spiers, Greg Sarris, Josh Weil, Nevada County Poet Laureate Karen Terrey and Reno Poet Laureate emeritus Jesse James Ziegler, along with Jared and Julia Drake of Wildbound PR and many others.

The festival opens Friday, Oct. 9, with a free community celebration at Boatworks Mall featuring readings, poetry, music and a community Open Mic Night hosted by Scott Green of Tahoe Poetry Collective in partnership with Tahoe Wine Collective.

Saturday, Oct. 10, offers a full day of programming from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., including author conversations, panels, generative workshops and craft talks.

Curated for both readers and writers, the multi-genre festival explores poetry, fiction, memoir and nonfiction. This year’s conversations range from cults and climate fiction to historical and literary fiction, food writing and the business of writing.

Saturday’s programming culminates with a free community Book Fair, Author Meet & Greet and Singer-Songwriters’ Showcase, giving the public an opportunity to meet participating writers and enjoy the festival without purchasing a Saturday pass.

The festival continues Sunday, Oct. 11, with a half-day Writers’ Retreat from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Writers can choose from three intensive sessions: poetry with California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick; memoir and nonfiction with Suzanne Roberts; or “A Crash Course in Novel Writing,” a fiction workshop with Grant Faulkner.

Designed for emerging and experienced writers, the retreat combines generative writing with dedicated creative time and instruction from established authors.

Advance registration is required and Writers’ Retreat tickets are $75.

Founded to celebrate and strengthen the literary arts in the Tahoe region, the Tahoe Literary Festival creates opportunities for readers to discover new writers, authors to engage directly with audiences and aspiring writers to learn from established professionals.

Tahoe Guide is a founding sponsor of the Tahoe Literary Festival and has supported the festival’s mission to build and celebrate a vibrant literary arts community in the Tahoe and Truckee region since its inception.

The nonprofit festival’s mission is to engage authors, writers, aspiring writers, poets, publishers and readers to share, listen and cultivate a vibrant literary arts community throughout the Tahoe and Truckee region.

Find the complete festival schedule, participating authors, tickets and event details at TahoeLitFest.com.