After another wildly successful year, the Southern Gothic Festival returns next October! Join us for two hauntingly fun days filled with Southern stories, strange history, live music, and folklore that lingers long after dark. Mark your calendars — 2026 is going to be unforgettable.
Acclaimed writers, journalists, and storytellers — voices spanning history, true crime, folklore, and the South’s layered narratives.
The Southern Gothic Festival is a two-day celebration of Southern literature, history, folklore, and music set in historic Camden, SC. It brings together award-winning authors, journalists, historians, and musicians for conversations, performances, and events in multiple venues across the city. Expect everything from true crime talks to ghost tours.
October 10–11, 2025
Various venues in Camden, South Carolina, including Liberty Hall at the Revolutionary War Visitor Center, Historic Camden, and downtown Camden.
This year’s lineup includes:
David Joy – Award-winning author known for Those We Thought We Knew
Valerie Bauerlein – Wall Street Journal correspondent and author of The Devil at His Elbow on the Murdaugh saga
Dick Harpootlian – Attorney and author of Dig Me a Grave, on prosecuting serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins
All events are free and open to the public, with the exception of two ghost tours conducted by Historic Camden. Tickets for these tours are available through the website. For all other events, seating is available on a first-come basis.
The full schedule, with times, venues, and event descriptions, will be posted here and shared on our social media channels.
This festival features adult topics and issues. All authors write for adult audiences and deal with crime, hardship, or horror. Most events may be unsuitable for children.
Dress for the weather and for walking between venues. Camden in October can be warm during the day and cool at night. Might we suggest a Southern Gothic Festival t-shirt, available for purchase at the event?
Free parking is available throughout downtown Camden for the Friday and Saturday concerts. For Saturday events at Historic Camden / Revolutionary War Park, if the main lot is full, additional parking will be available in an adjacent area. Specific parking details will be included in the event schedule.
