Lewes is a town of firsts, and the first and only book festival in the country devoted exclusively to history began here nine years ago. Since then, the festival has grown exponentially, with more than six thousand people from all over the country attending last year’s event. The ninth annual History Book Festival (HBF) is set for Friday to Sunday, September 26-28, 2025.
HBF showcases new historical fiction and narrative nonfiction from multiple subjects, eras, and voices. Over 90% of the festival’s author presentations are free and open to all, drawing readers from 30 states and abroad to this one-of-a-kind event at the Delaware beaches. HBF authors also visit Delaware classrooms, from preschool to college, and the festival gives their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations, providing an engaging way to inspire readers of all ages to enjoy learning about history.
The festival opens on Friday, Sept. 26, at the currently sold-out keynote event with Hampton Sides, the New York Times bestselling author of eight histories, including “Ghost Soldiers,” which won the PEN USA Award for Nonfiction. The event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex and Kent Counties and Sally Mott Freeman & John K. Freeman in partnership with Historic Lewes. Sides will discuss his latest work, “The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook,” which is available at Browseabout Books, the festival’s official bookseller.
The ticketed closing event on Sunday, Sept. 28, features celebrated, late historian David McCullough’s final book, “History Matters,” shared by his daughter, Dorie McCullough Lawson, and research partner, Michael Hill.
“We’re excited about this book,” said Jen Mason, HBF’s co-founder and chair. “After working with McCullough for over three decades, Lawson and Hill reviewed the trove of records and writings that he left. The pieces that they include read like a retrospective on the values, curiosity, and skills that made McCullough an extraordinary historian. Reading the book felt like sitting down to have a chat with him, and it left me with a renewed sense of hope and love for America. It seems fitting that our friends at the Delaware Community Foundation chose to fund this singular event.”
The closing event will be moderated by Ivan Henderson, the Executive Director of the Delaware Historical Society, who said, “We are honored to support the 2025 History Book Festival as a Community Partner—promoting this inspiring event to the diverse learning communities we serve and moderating what promises to be a captivating conversation with Dorie McCullough Lawson and Michael Hill about David McCullough’s final work. We believe deeply in the power of diverse communities engaging in meaningful conversations about the events, ideas, and lessons that have shaped our shared history.”
Visit historybookfestival.org for more details and to purchase closing event tickets. 
On Saturday, Sept. 27, attendees can access their choice of 20 author presentations in various venues in Lewes, all free of charge. Books will be available for purchase at each venue, and they may also be bought in advance at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach or at biblion in Lewes. Authors will be available to personalize books after their presentations, and at the end of the day, presenters and audiences come together to celebrate and discuss their festival experience at a “spirited discussion” presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.
For more information on all presenting authors and their featured books, go to historybookfestival.org
Founded in 2016, the History Book Festival is an independent nonprofit dedicated to building historical literacy through well-researched, well-told stories. This year’s event is presented by the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty and Delaware Humanities, with help from many other community organizations, especially the Lewes Public Library and Browseabout Books. For more information, go to historybookfestival.org or follow the festival on social media.
Attached Photo: Portrait of David McCullough. Photo credit William B. McCullough.
Attached Photo: Portrait of Dorie Lawson McCullough. Photo credit Stephanie Penrose.
Attached Photo: Portrait of Michael Hill. Photo Credit Rebecca Purdy.
Attached Photo: Cover of “History Matters” by David McCullough.
Skip to content