History
The Green Mountain Book Festival was founded in the summer of 2021 with a vision to promote literary arts in Vermont, to celebrate and showcase local artistry, to honor free expression, and to foster connection. Elaine Pentaleri, a poet from Bristol with connections to the writing community in and around Chittenden County, brought initial plans for a new literary festival to Phoenix Books in Burlington. Phoenix owner Michael DeSanto offered to become the primary sponsor of this new festival. He and Phoenix manager Tod Gross provided a wealth of ideas and years of experience within the literary community. Burlington City Arts welcomed the idea, providing venue space and grant funding potential. The festival’s founding board of directors also included Angela Palm Hopkins, Lisa Hughes, Kimberly MacQueen, Barbara Shatara, and Shelagh Connor Shapiro.
The Fletcher Free Library became the festival’s second major sponsor by offering venue space and general support. Over 60 authors were showcased in the inaugural year, including award winning novelist and Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki, National Book Award winner MT Anderson, U.S. Representative Becca Balint, former Vermont Governor Madeleine May Kunin, and Vermont Book Award winners Melanie Finn and Shanta Lee. Hundreds of members of the community came out to enjoy the events, which included panels, readings, a banned books open mic, and “Lit Night at the Lamp Shop” — local poetry organizations gathering to showcase their members’ work through readings and presentations. In 2023, Executive Director Rachel Carter came on board to help the festival grow.
In 2025, bracing for cutbacks in arts funding, the festival’s all-volunteer board made the decision to change the event’s format, instituting a speaker series that brings together a smaller group of authors multiple times a year in celebration of a genre or theme. The first of these featured Science Fiction author John Scalzi, as well as several Vermont authors in conversation on panels of interest to speculative and science fiction readers and writers.
A 501(c)3 organization, the Green Mountain Book Festival is funded by state, community and arts organizations, businesses, and individuals in the form of donations, sponsorships, and grants. Our focus remains unchanged: to develop a deeper understanding of self and community through a shared love of reading and books.
