Santa Barbara Literary Festival
Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 12:15 PM
Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 3 PM
Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Lobero Theatre This event is a rental, not a Lobero presentation.
The Santa Barbara Literary Festival brings together readers and writers of every genre for a two-day celebration of storytelling and inspiration. Engaging panels, enlightening workshops, pop-up events, and welcoming social gatherings, bring together established authors, emerging writers, and passionate readers in a uniquely intimate setting that fosters community centered around a shared love of the literary arts.
Day 1 includes the following events which take place at the Lobero Theatre:
10 AM – Crime, Truth and the Stories We Tell
A gripping conversation on crime writing, truth, and ethics, featuring four acclaimed authors What draws us to crime stories—and what responsibility do writers bear when telling them? This compelling panel brings together Danielle Trussoni, Allison Weiner, Laurie Dove, and Sara DiVello, four authors whose work spans investigative journalism, literary nonfiction, and psychological suspense.
12:15 PM – Bob Gale on Back to the Future
On writing an iconic franchise and keeping it alive across generations. Join legendary screenwriter and producer Bob Gale for an inside look at the creation and evolution of one of the most beloved franchises in popular culture. As the co-creator and co-writer of Back to the Future, Gale helped craft a story that has captivated generations with its wit, heart, and imaginative take on time travel.
3 PM – Susan Orlean: On Joyride, Curiosity and Craft
Join the bestselling author and journalist Susan Orlean for a compelling, motivating talk at the Lobero Theater as part of the Santa Barbara Literary Festival. Orlean’s much-celebrated nonfiction work includes The Orchid Thief and The Library Book, as well as her brand-new memoir, Joyride. For over three decades, Orlean has contributed to the literary community as a staff writer for The New Yorker.
4:30 PM – KEYNOTE: Walter Mosley
Join legendary author Walter Mosley, for a keynote conversation with one of America’s most influential literary voices. With a career spanning decades and genres, Mosley is renowned for his incisive explorations of race, power, justice, and the complexities of American life. His recent novels, Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right and Gray Dawn, continue his tradition of fearless storytelling and moral inquiry.
Walter is the author of 60 critically-acclaimed books of fiction including the upcoming Easy Rawlins novel, Farewell, Amethystine; as well as works of nonfiction, memoir, and plays. His work has been translated into 25 languages. From the first novel he published, Devil in a Blue Dress with protagonist Easy Rawlins, Mosley’s work has explored the lives of Black men and women in America—past, present, and future.
For tickets and more information visit the Santa Barbara Literary Festival website
