Each year, the Commonwealth’s finest writers gather in Richmond for the Virginia Literary Awards, sponsored by the Library of Virginia Foundation, for the state’s most anticipated literary celebration. Now in its 28th year, the gala honors outstanding authors across five categories: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, children’s literature, and literary lifetime achievement. Readers statewide vote online for the 2026 People’s Choice Awards June 1–July 15.
The roster of past honorees reads like a who’s who of American letters: Pulitzer winners Rita Dove, Barbara Kingsolver, and Annette Gordon-Reed; best-selling masters David Baldacci and John Grisham; beloved storytellers like Earl Hamner Jr. and Rebecca Skloot. These brilliant writers gather annually to toast Virginia’s rich storytelling tradition and its captivating voices.
The 2026 Virginia Literary Awards will be held Sept. 19 at the Library of Virginia. For more information, visit LVa.Virginia.gov.
This article originally appeared in the June 2026 issue.
