Zadie update: Sold out but Don't Panic!

We have been overwhelmed with the response to our announcement that Zadie Smith will be our keynote speaker next April. To our delight, all tickets for the event were snapped up in just a few days. And the Missouri Theatre is a big venue.

While we're thrilled that Columbia has embraced Zadie's appearance with such excitement and enthusiasm, we also know that there are some disappointed people out there who did not act quickly enough to reserve their tickets. 

If you're one of those people, this post is for you. And we say: Don't Panic.

It’s been our experience over the first two years of the festival that a lot of people reserve tickets and then (for whatever reason) don’t show up on the night. That means: if you want to see Zadie Smith but you don't have a ticket, you should come to the Missouri Theatre on April 20 anyway. Just come a little early. We’ll have a "no-show” line and will start letting people without tickets into the theatre at 7.15 to fill all empty seats at that time.

While we can’t make any promises, what we can tell you is that in the past two years, everyone who showed up on the night was admitted to the event. So: don't despair! You may just have to turn up a little earlier than you'd planned.