CCPL Fireweed LitArts Festival

Campbell County Public Library (CCPL) in Gillette, WY, invites authors, artists, and the community to turn up the creative heat at Fireweed LitArts Festival!
Join us for an opening reception hosted by The Library Foundation Inc. and Friends of the Library on Friday, August 7 (details coming soon), followed by a full day of celebrating writers, artists, and wild ideas that bloom in the heat on Saturday, August 8, 10am to 4:30pm. We're excited to welcome bestselling authors Anne Hillerman, Craig Johnson, and James Chandler as our featured authors!
This celebration brings together writers, artists, and creative thinkers from across the region for a lively festival of stories, art, and imagination. Inspired by the resilience and brilliance of ideas that thrive in unexpected places, the Fireweed LitArts Festival highlights the bold creativity blooming in Campbell County and beyond. Whether you're an avid reader, aspiring writer, art lover, or simply curious, there’s something to spark every imagination.
• Q&A with authors Anne Hillerman, Craig Johnson, and James Chandler
• Dark Winds screening and discussion with Anne Hillerman
• Longmire screening and discussion with Craig Johnson
• Writing workshop with James Chandler
• Author readings and book signings
• Panel discussions
• Opportunities to connect with creators of all kinds
🖊️ Authors & vendors: Sign up today! tinyurl.com/CCPLFireweedRegistration
🖊️Learn about other attending authors and artists!
tinyurl.com/CCPLFireweedParticipants
Anne Hillerman, bestselling New York Times author, is acclaimed for continuing the beloved Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito mystery series – the latest title, Shadow of the Solstice, was published in January, 2026. Hillerman will take part in a special in-conversation Q&A titled “Why Libraries Made Me a Writer," where she will reflect on the powerful role libraries have played in her life and career. The festival will also feature a screening of an episode of Dark Winds, followed by a discussion comparing the television adaptation with Tony Hillerman’s original work.
Craig Johnson is one of Wyoming’s own New York Times bestselling authors and just released number 22 in his full-length Longmire adventures, The Brothers McKay. In addition, Johnson's mysteries are the inspiration for the hit Netflix series, Longmier. Johnson has received numerous awards, including the 2025 Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature, Western Writers of America Spur Award, Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award, and France’s Prix du Roman Noir.He makes his home in Ucross, Wyoming (population 25).
James Chandler, bestselling Wall Street Journal author, welcomes all aspiring writers to his writing workshop, Plotting a Thriller. Chandler, also known as Wyoming Circuit Court Judge Paul Phillips, is the author of the Sam Johnstone legal thriller series, known for its fast-paced courtroom drama and Western settings. The latest in the series, Reasonable Suspicion, was released in April 2026. All are welcome to Chandler's workshop to explore what keeps readers turning pages late into the night! Learn about the essential elements of crafting a gripping thriller: suspense, pacing, twists, and rising tension that will keep your audience guessing until the very end. Perfect for writers of all experience levels, his workshop will provide practical insight into crafting compelling fiction.
Full Festival schedule coming soon! For more information, contact Campbell County Public Library at 307.687.0009.