FOW HISTORY

Since 2000, the Festival of Words Delaware has been a FREE annual event for secondary students, teachers, and librarians. The event was developed to encourage a love of reading and writing by introducing young adults ​to diverse authors and ideas. 

​Sponsored in part by the Delaware Library Association.

This event is open to the community and geared to elementary & secondary students, teachers, parents, and librarians and literary enthusiasts.    

Registration is necessary for workshops and specific sessions (to be coming once your original registration is made!)

We celebrate that this event was developed to encourage a love of reading and writing by introducing young adults to diverse authors and ideas.

Meet authors, publishers, purchase books, attend informational sessions and MORE! ​

Origins

Ms. Dillner thought Delaware teens deserved a literacy event and the Delaware Department of Education and the University of Delaware agreed, and to date, FOW is still the only literacy event for teens of its kind in the state of Delaware.

Peggy Dillner was the founder of Festival of Words (FOW) Delaware in 2000. She worked at the Educational Resource Center at the University of Delaware after retiring as a librarian for Colonial School District. 

In 2002- Newbery Award winner Nancy Willard presented the morning keynote address, entitled, “The Writer’s Journey: A Thousand Miles, A Single Step.” She is a noted poet, has written numerous books for children and young people and received the Newbery Award for her book A Visit to William Blake’s Inn.  Also in 2002,  Mel Glenn, author of popular n ovels written in free verse, introduced “The Split Image of American Teens.” A former English teacher, he offered an understanding of adolescents in his books. His most  recently published book, Split Image; A Story in Poems, deals with class and race issues intertwined in a mystery.

In 2006,  the 6th annual Festival of Words was held at the University of Delaware's Smith Hall, award-winning Ellen Wittlinger was the morning keynote speaker and George Ancona, award-winning photo-essayist and author of books for young readers, keynoted the afternoon session with a talk about digital storytelling.

In 2007, the 7th annual Festival of Words was held at the Trabant University Center and in the Willard Hall Education Building, at the University of Delaware.  E.R. Frank and Pat Mora while also featuring results from art and writing contests.

Laurie Halse Anderson in 2008 was the keynote speaker,  shortly after she published SPEAK.  See an excerpt of someone ( Sharon Huss Roat, author of young adult novels ) that saw Laurie Halse Anderson at Festival of Words in 2008 HERE! 

In 2009 the keynote speaker was Robert Lipsyte.   As part of the Festival of Words, Carney Gray and Michelle Schwantes presented their Poetry Alive! program, in which they dramatize poems. 

In 2012, the 12th annual Festival of Words, was held at the University of Delware, in Willard Hall, was led by Peggy Dillner.  The University of Delaware education students faciliated this year's event.  When Ms. Dilner retired, Christy Payne came to the rescue for four years. 

In 2013, the 13th annual Festival of Words, held at Appoquinimink High School was led by Christy Payne.

In 2014, the 14th annual Festival of Words was again held at Appoquinimink High School and led by Christy Payne and Andrea Rashbaum. 

In 2015, the 15th annual Festival of Words was led by Andrea Rashbaum, who transitioned into the Festival of Words director.   Hosted at Appoquinimink High School this event hosted exciting authors, talks, and creative ways to look at literacy amid an ever-changing literary world.  Andrea remained a perpetrator of all things literary and Festival of Words and was joined by Jennifer Delgado.

When Ms. Dilner retired, Christy Payne came on the FOW scene for four years.  More speakers began to be a part of FOW, and the first three years the location became home to Appoquinimink High School, then the fourth year at John Dickinson High School.

In 2016, the 16th annual Festival of Words was hosted at Stanton Middle School thanks to Christy Payne, Andrea Rashbaum and chaired by Jen Delgado. Festival attendees saw keynote speeches by award-winning authors Chris Crutcher and Jason Reynolds as well as an interactive panel with first-time authors Sharon Roat and Cristin Terrill. Participants chose two break-out sessions with topics ranging from author Q & A sessions with authors to book discussions, poetry workshops, art contests, and more. The day was made possible by sponsorship from the Delaware Teacher Center, the Delaware Division of Libraries, the Delaware Library Association, Wilmington University, Carl Moore of Cengage/Gale, and private donors. Over 250 attendees were in attendance this year.  Ironically, Jason Reynolds came to Delaware in 2015 and will be returning in 2025!

In 2017, the 17th annual Festival of Words was hosted at Dickinson High School hosted with Jen Delgado and Sharon Roat, with over 300 attendees present.  

In 2018, the 18th annual Festival of Words was hosted at McKean High School with Jen Delgado and Sharon Roat.  About 300 attendees returned to another great Festival of Words.

In 2019, the 19th annual Festival of Words was hosted at DelCastle Technical High School with authors Paul Volponi, Cordelia Jensen, Juliana Baggot, John Micklos, Chimere McLean, LaVern Robinson, and The Twin Poets . Andrea Rashbaun continued to chair FOW.

In 2020- DESPITE COVID, FOW carried on with Carlos Andrés Gómez, (September 26th), Julissa Arce, Celia C. Pèrez, Karen McManus and Jerry Craft.  

In 2021, FOW went online with Festival of Words Week (February 28th - March 6th). Jewell Parker Rhodes, Catherine Ryan Hyde, Jordan Ifueko, Karol Ruth Silverstein and Nate Powell all represented a great Festival of Words this year.

From 2022- 2023 - St. Georges Technical High School hosted Festival of Words with the support of a GREAT crew of committee members, led by Andrea Rashbaum and then in-house librarian Kim Read. 

*2022 Flyer - https://stgeorges.nccvt.k12.de.us/apps/news/article/1550536

*Article about 2022 Festival of Words

In 2025, held at Woodbridge High School. Festival of Words was possible thanks to the coconspirators of Harry Brake, Andrea Rashbaum, DASL President Stephanie Saggione, Huxley & Hiro Bookstore, Woodbridge Public Library Director Karen Johnson-Kemp, Library Youth Services Coordinator Hilary Fudge, Huxley & Hiro Books, Browseabout Books, Greenwood Public Librarian Andrew Knestaut, and English Instructor at Sussex Tech Karen Willey, Festival of Words is evolving and growing again.