Comedy (for kids) and a Hip-Hop Mogul Land in Jackson for the Book Festival

What do a comedian and a hip-hop artist have in common?

MS Book festival Capitol grounds with people

Credit: Samantha Yancey

A Saturday Night Live star writing mad-science adventures for children and a Mississippi-born hip-hop mogul thinking about reinvention will all be attending the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson this September.

When and Where to Find the 2026 Mississippi Book Festival

Kate McKinnon and Rick Ross are among the official panelists scheduled for the 2026 Mississippi Book Festival on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mississippi State Capitol and surrounding grounds. Admission is free, with author panels, signings, booksellers, family activities, food and other programming spread throughout the Capitol area.

They also offer three good examples of why calling the event a "book festival" only tells part of the story.

McKinnon

Credit: Hachette Book Group

Kate McKinnon's Other Life as a Bestselling Author

McKinnon arrives with an audience that may know her first from comedy, particularly her years on Saturday Night Live. Younger readers know another side. She is the bestselling author behind the Millicent Quibb series, and the festival weekend includes a Sept. 25 virtual KidNote for students in grades 3 through 8 tied to The Jungle of Carabanana, the latest adventure involving the Porch sisters and their eccentric mad-scientist mentor.

Ross

Credit: Michael Tamzil Tamz/HarperCollins

Rick Ross Comes Home to Mississippi

Rick Ross brings the festival much closer to Mississippi music. Born in Clarksdale, the rapper, entrepreneur and Maybach Music Group founder returns to his home state with Renaissance of a Boss: Notes from a Creative Reawakening. The book looks beyond his music career toward creativity, reinvention and building something bigger than one's self.

Kate McKinnon and Rick Ross may not share the same fanbase, which makes seeing their names on the same festival schedule part of the fun. Follow them to the Capitol grounds and you may spend the rest of the day moving between conversations about fiction, history, poetry, politics, food, Mississippi and just about everything else people decide to put into a book.

Author

Peter Kelly

Peter Kelly is a storyteller who moves between film, writing, and business strategy to capture ideas with clarity and imagination. His creative work spans documentary filmmaking, narrative development, and photography shaped by years of exploring cultures and adventures from the American South to the far reaches of the globe. His work is guided by curiosity, a love of wild places, and a commitment to stories that unravel human connection. In his free time, Peter can typically be found rappelling, scuba diving, or reading.