Every year, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival honors a different American author for their outstanding achievements in American literature. This year, 2026, the winner of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for Achievement in American Literature goes to . . .
~Tobias Wolff~
A big congratulations to Tobias Wolff! As is our longstanding tradition, we have invited Wolff to appear in person at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival this October, in Rockville, Maryland. He has graciously accepted.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 24, 2026!
On this date, we will host our main festival day at Montgomery College in Rockville. Wolff will accept his award and speak about literature and his numerous works. The festival day also includes many other exciting opportunities, including a special guest appearance by Richard Bausch, a keynote speech by Deborah Tannen, and workshops with renowned writers Fred Bowen, Nate Brown, Ron Charles, Hannah Grieco, E. Ethelbert Miller, and Margaret Talbot.
Wolff will also appear at our annual Readings in Honor of the Winner event, to be held on the evening of Friday, October 23, 2026.
Growing Up Is Hard to Do . . .
The theme of this year’s festival is Growing Up Is Hard to Do . . . This theme pays homage to one of Wolff’s most famous works, the memoir This Boy’s Life (1989), which describes his own adventurous youth.
Wolff is also known for penning the memoir In Pharaoh’s Army (1994), as well as several novels and short story collections, including Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories (2008). His novel The Barracks Thief (1984) won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Wolff received a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in September 2015. He is the Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor of English, Emeritus, at Stanford, where he lives with his wife Catherine. They have three children and four grandchildren.
It’s Time to Become a 2026 Member!
The F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival is a nonprofit organization. We rely on members, donors, and grants to keep this organization running. We are a 503(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and memberships and donations are tax deductible.
It’s time to become a 2026 member of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival. If you were a member in previous years, your membership does not automatically renew. Become a 2026 member today!
For $35 (individuals) or $30 (seniors), you can become a member and help support our organization. There are also many other levels of support. We deeply appreciate your commitment to honoring F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary legacy and supporting the literary community in the present time.
Click here to learn more about membership & become a member.
Thank you for your support. We could not provide the educational programming, short story contest, or writing support we do without your help. Our opportunities help enrich the lives of both adults and children.
Mark Your Calendar for Our May Event!
A final heads up: our upcoming Annual Meeting & Special Presentation will be held virtually on the evening of Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Mark your calendar!
We have an exciting presentation planned with two exciting speakers. . . . Click here for a sneak peek!
