Top 10 Reasons You Can’t Miss Dan’s Papers Literary Festival
The premier celebration of writing and a love for literature kicks off Labor Day Weekend on Thursday, September 1, as you are invited to join the revelry at the Dan’s Papers Literary Festival, beginning at 4 p.m. with the 5th Annual Dan’s Papers $10,000 Literary Prize for Nonfiction Gala Awards Ceremony at Guild Hall in East Hampton! This ceremony and celebration have become one of the most heralded events of the season, and being part of one of the biggest writing prizes in the country is only the beginning of an unforgettable day you won’t want to miss. As every writer likes to say, read on…
The Oscars of the Hamptons Literary World
Guild Hall’s historic John Drew Theater packed with hundreds of guests breathlessly anticipating the opening of the envelopes. The shocked winners! The cheering crowds! The awarding of $10,000 in prizes to six winners—along with honors going to six Judges Choice Award winners—in the $4,000 Emerging Young Writers Prize for Nonfiction and the $6,000 Literary Prize for Nonfiction! The energy and excitement have to be experienced to be believed.
A Pulitzer Winner: Keynote Speech by Carl Bernstein
Every summer, a literary lion takes the stage to give the keynote speech for the Dan’s Papers $6,000 Literary Prize for Nonfiction. In this most charged of election years, with an undercurrent of political history and future running through nearly every aspect of life, Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Bernstein—renowned for works from All the President’s Men to A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton—steps to the microphone to enlighten and entertain.
Another Pulitzer Winner: Keynote Speech by Robert Caro
Any writer or book lover looking for inspiration need look no further than the stage during the keynote address for the Emerging Young Writers Prize, being delivered by none other than Robert Caro—winner of two Pulitzer Prizes in Biography; three National Book Critics Circle Awards, for Best Nonfiction Book of the Year and Best Biography; the National Book Award; the Francis Parkman Prize, countless other major literary honors, including the Gold Medal in Biography from the National Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Humanities Medal, awarded by President Barack Obama.
Live Reading by Dick Cavett
One of the great traditions of the Dan’s Papers Literary Prize Gala Awards Ceremony is the moment when the grand-prize-winning entries are read aloud to the rapt audience. In the past, Emmy winner Pia Lindstrom and Oscar winner Mercedes Ruehl have done the honors, and this year we can’t wait to hear Emmy winner and author Dick Cavett bring these essays to life.
Inaugural Literary Luminaries Book Signing
What could be better than seeing storied storytellers onstage in the intimate setting of the John Drew Theater, hearing them speak about their careers and the craft of writing? How about getting to meet them and being part of a unique book signing? Following the Gala Awards Ceremony, the Dan’s Papers Literary Festival is thrilled to present the first Literary Luminaries Book Signing, which will give guests the opportunity for a meet-and-greet, photos and personalized signed copies of unforgettable works of nonfiction:
Carl Bernstein, signing A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton
Robert Caro, signing The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
Dick Cavett, signing Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks
Dan Rattiner, signing In The Hamptons 4Ever
Jean Shafiroff, signing Successful Philanthropy
Daniel Simone, signing The Lufthansa Heist
Limited tickets available
Music by the Celebrated Perlman Music Program
They have each played historic venues from Carnegie Hall to Lincoln Center to hallowed halls overseas, and now they will be performing for you at Guild Hall! French-Romanian pianist Alexandra Joan—celebrated by The New York Times as “Elegant (…), refreshingly temperamental”—and Cuban-American cellist Thomas Mesa, a member of the Grammy-nominated St. Petersburg String Quartet and St. Petersburg Piano Quartet who has toured with Itzhak Perlman and other luminaries, will fill the John Drew Theater with classical wonder as they perform “The Swan” from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens, and Variations on One String by Niccolo Paganini.
Raise a Toast at the Elegant Garden Party
The winners have raised their trophies, now it’s time to raise a glass to all who made the event so memorable! All Literary Prize Gala Awards attendees are invited to enjoy light bites, pours of Long Island wines, beverages from Bai and more at our cocktail reception in the Guild Hall Garden following the closing of the awards ceremony.
All the President’s Men: A HIFF-Curated Film Screening
One of the most important political stories ever told, in print and onscreen, All the President’s Men made Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward household names and redefined the public’s notion of investigative journalism’s role in American culture. The tale’s relevance has become magnified amid Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s race to the White House, and its drama is only heightened when shown as it was meant to be—on the big screen. Curated by the Hamptons International Film Festival, this special screening includes an introduction by Mr. Bernstein himself!
The Silent Auction
Supporting the Literary Prize, the art of prose and those who create magic with the written word, this year’s silent auction packages will include special autographed book collections, limited edition canvas prints of Dan’s Papers covers, and even some once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the Hamptons with Dan’s Papers founder Dan Rattiner himself.
The VIP Authors Dinner
A once-in-a-lifetime experience with literary legends! Enjoy an intimate night of dinner and conversation with Carl Bernstein, Robert Caro, Daniel Simone, Dan’s Papers Founder Dan Rattiner and other special guests. There is extremely limited seating available for this portion of the Festival, which includes VIP reserved seating at the Literary Prize Gala Awards Ceremony, all five autographed books at the Literary Luminaries Book Signing, and a seat at the table for the VIP Authors Dinner at Serafina of East Hampton at 7 p.m. Limited tickets available.
The Dan’s Papers Literary Festival is Thursday, September 1, beginning at 4 p.m. at Guild Hall in East Hampton. Admittance to the Literary Awards Gala and Cocktail Reception is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Guaranteed Reserve VIP seating in the front rows is available with either of the following packages:
Literary Luminaries Book Signing—Includes copies of all five books, meet-and-greet signing with all five authors, VIP seating at the Gala Awards Ceremony, post-awards Cocktail Reception. Advance tickets are $125. If available, $175 at the event.
VIP Authors Dinner Experience—$250 per person includes: VIP seating at the Gala Awards Ceremony; post-awards Cocktail Reception; copy of all five books, meet-and-greet signing with all five authors at the Literary Luminaries Book Signing; VIP Authors Dinner at Serafina of East Hampton at 7 p.m.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit DansLitPrize.com.
Screening of All The President’s Men with Introduction by Carl Bernstein on Thursday, September 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the John Drew Theater of Guild Hall. Tickets $25, purchase at DansLitPrize.com.