2026 San Francisco Moby Dick 24 Hour Marathon

Join us at the San Francisco Maritime Museum on September 12&13 for the 24-Hour Moby Dick cover to cover marathon!
About this Event

The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, in partnership with the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association and Litquake, is hosting a 24-hour Moby Dick reading marathon in the Maritime Museum. Beginning at twelve noon on Saturday September 12 to noon on Sunday September 13the nonstop cover-to-cover marathon is a fun filled 24 hours that you won't want to miss out on.

Brace yourself as the MD24 resurfaces in 2026! The Moby Dick 24-Hour Marathon, hosted by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, is a secret San Francisco tradition, steeped in both maritime history and theatrical innovation! Whether you’re a Melville scholar or you’ve never even cracked the cover, the MD24 makes the colossal novel Moby Dick feel lively, accessible, and dare we say– FUN!

Come for a chapter, or spend the night in the spectacularly restored Art Deco-style landmark that is the Maritime Museum Building! Join us for this spirited, enthusiastic examination of what Melville continues to mean to us– and how we resonate daily with some of the most complex characters in American literature.

Sign up to read a chapter here: https://maritime.org/md2026/

This event is FREE and open to all.