VIP Literary Weekend Experience

Now in its ninth year, Charleston Literary Festival is a fast-growing destination literary event. In 2024, 27% of attendees came from outside of South Carolina, and Festival organizers expect that number to continue to grow. For these cultured, book-loving visitors, the Festival has created a VIP Literary Weekend Experience. 

The three-day experience offers unlimited VIP access to all of the world-class literary events over one weekend of the Charleston Literary Festival, either Nov. 7-9 or Nov. 14-16.

The VIP Literary Weekend Experience is available for a rate of $2,000 for one guest and $3,500 for two guests and includes: 

To secure your VIP Weekend Experience, please email our Founding Development Director, Suzanne Pollak

suzanne.pollak@charlestonliteraryfestival.com

Author Events

Access to all author sessions taking place over one three-day weekend featuring award-winning authors like:

First Weekend: Nov. 7—9, 2025

Featured authors on the first weekend include: Joyce Carol Oates, Colum McCann, Michael Cunningham, Glory Edim, Imani Perry, Aria Aber, Max Boot, Kevin Sack, Eddie S. Glaude Jr., and more.

Second Weekend: Nov. 14—16, 2025

Featured authors on the second weekend include: Stephen Greenblatt, Maggie Smith, Adam Gopnik, Viet Thanh Ngyuen, Patricia Lockwood, David Szalay, Adam Haslett, Katie Kitamura, and more.

All-Access to Charleston Literary Festival at the Historic Dock Street Theatre over a three-day weekend.

Highly Curated Custom Tours and Extraordinary Parties

The Heart of the VIP Literary Weekend Experience

  • Welcome Reception

    A warm welcome by Festival Executive Director, Sarah Moriarty.

  • A Private Evening Soiree

    An evening event filled with glitz and glamor alongside authors and special guests at an 18th Century private home.

  • Private Home Garden Tour

    Tour of an exquisite landscaped garden behind the hidden gates of a classic Charleston 19th century home in the notorious South of Broad community.

  • An Epic Literary Great Birthday Party Invitation

    It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman turning 250 needs a birthday party! To celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, we’re throwing her a party. This playful, elevated celebration is invite-only for Weekend Festival VIPs, donors, and authors and is not open to the public. Jane’s special evening event will take place at a historic house on Legare Street in Downtown Charleston (fun fact: the house is also 250 years old!) An unmissable moment to celebrate Jane’s birthday, meet Charleston literati, and make some new friends to boot (First Weekend Only).

  • Literary Walking Tour

    A literary walking tour that unveils the depth and breadth of Charleston’s literary scene, designed just for Weekend VIPs led by Charleston academic and author, Harlan Greene.

  • A Great Gatsby Party

    Get ready to throw on your flapper fringe or a three-piece suit and party like it’s 1925. Celebrate 100 Years since the publication of The Great Gatsby with a decadent party at a privately-owned historic home on Legare Street Downtown Charleston. It will be so good, Gatsby himself might rise from West Egg to join us. (Second Weekend Only).

  • Intimate Sunday Brunch

    Dine with donors and authors in an additional historic private home

  • Private Tour of the International African American Museum

    A guided experience of the IAAM museum, named one of TIME Magazine’s greatest places of 2024.

Read what one Weekend Festival VIP had to say about her experience:

Charleston oozes charm out of its pores, but the Literary Festival gives you the insider’s view. I couldn't possibly list all of the transformative experiences. I appreciated the opportunities for genuine and meaningful conversations with everyone in attendance.”

—Pamela Francis, Dallas, TX

Additional Benefits just for Weekend VIPs

  • Hotel Reservations

    Discounted hotel room rates at some of the most luxurious hotels in Downtown Charleston.

  • Saturday Night Dinner Reservation

    Restaurant reservations that are nearly impossible to make are secured for Weekend VIPs at Charleston’s most exclusive, sought after tables.

There are a limited number of VIP Literary Weekend Experiences available. 

The VIP Literary Weekend Experience is designed with a discerning literary enthusiast in mind by hospitality and entertaining savant and long-time Charlestonian, Suzanne Pollak, the Festival Founding Development Director.

All VIP Literary Weekend Experience for Charleston Literary Festival are available now.

For more information about Weekend VIP packages, please contact Suzanne Pollak at

suzanne.pollak@charlestonliteraryfestival.com