State guide
South Carolina
The Conroy Festival, held by the Pat Conroy Literary Center, is the South Carolina literary festival verified here. The Center says the 11th annual festival runs Thursday, October 22, through Sunday, October 25, as free and ticketed events in Beaufort and the surrounding Lowcountry, with author discussions, writers’ workshops, and a film screening tied to one of Pat Conroy’s novels. The Center is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. The South Carolina State Library is the state agency. It administers federal and state support for libraries, lends through a shared catalog, and issues a state library card for residents age 18 and over.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State library or arts office
- South Carolina State Library
- Festivals we verified
- Conroy Festival
- Official program page
- Official page →
The festival is a Lowcountry weekend, not a single free fairground. The Center’s sentence is careful: some events are free and some are ticketed, and they are held in locations throughout Beaufort and nearby communities. This guide does not assign every talk to a named hall. Readers should use the Center’s site for which pieces need tickets. The film screening and the workshops are part of the same festival announcement.
The Center’s daily hours are a separate fact. A visitor can walk into the literary center Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. even when a festival talk is ticketed elsewhere. The site frames the place as a home for readers, writers, teachers, and students inspired by Pat Conroy. That year-round role is why the festival has an institution behind it. A local library in South Carolina may host extra talks, but only the programs named here were verified from official pages.
The State Library’s about page says that in 1969 the State Library Board became the South Carolina State Library, with duties that include public-library development, service to state institutions, service for blind and print-disabled readers, and service to state government. A state library card opens SCLENDS and online databases. Use the State Library for those services and the Conroy Center for the October weekend. No second statewide festival was verified.
Official resources in South Carolina
Official page for the Conroy Festival dates and the Center’s public hours.
State library home for catalogs, databases, and library development.
Explains the library’s role since the 1969 reorganization.
Key facts for South Carolina
- The Pat Conroy Literary Center says the 11th annual Conroy Festival is October 22–25.
- The Center says the festival mixes free and ticketed events in Beaufort and the Lowcountry.
- Programs named include author discussions, writers’ workshops, and a film screening.
- The Center is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
- The South Carolina State Library says a card is available to residents age 18 and over.
- The about page says the State Library took its current form in 1969 and supports public libraries and accessible services.
Verified festivals and programs in South Carolina
| Festival | city | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Conroy Festival | Beaufort | 11th annual festival, October 22–25, with free and ticketed events in Beaufort and the Lowcountry. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Check which Conroy Festival events are free and which need tickets before you go.
- Use Beaufort as the base city and expect some programs in nearby Lowcountry locations.
- Visit the Center during posted noon-to-4 hours if you want the building itself.
- Get a state library card for SCLENDS if you need books after the weekend.
Not seeing your festival or county?
We list a festival only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across South Carolina, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from South Carolina's population center, for comparison only):
- Savannah Book Festival, Georgia · about 139 miles
- Library of North Carolina, North Carolina · about 183 miles
- Decatur Book Festival, Georgia · about 190 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.South Carolina State Library
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the South Carolina page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- How to use a state book festival guide
- What a book festival typically includes
- The National Book Festival
- Finding author events at the state library