As I’ve said, I’m trying not to go ANYWHERE this year, in hopes of finishing Book Ten sooner, rather than later.
Still, there are two events that I’ve done every year for… well, many years <g>, and I will be doing those, the NACHS Highland Tea in April, and the Southwest International Writers’ Conference in October. Details are below.
This year will be the 33rd year I’ve done the Surrey conference, and it’s been nearly that long for the NACHS Highland Tea.
Thanks,
-Diana
March, 2025
Saturday, April 5, 2025 – FLAGSTAFF, AZ
Diana Gabaldon will be the Guest of Honor at the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society’s 24th Annual Highland Tea. Bring your best hat!
Paid tickets are required. See details below.
The Highland Tea begins at 12 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time-MST) for in-person attendees. Tickets are $125 (USD) per person.
A book signing with Diana will be part of the event!
For those who wish to join virtually to hear Diana speak at 2 p.m. (MST), on-line tickets are available for that portion of the event at $25 (USD). See below.
Please see the notes below about Mountain Standard Time in Arizona if you are travelling from out of state, or live outside the U.S.A..
Event Host:
The Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society (NACHS)
Event Venue:
Serendipity
2640 W. Kiltie Lane
Flagstaff, Arizona 86005
I’ll be joining the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society for their annual Highland Tea on Saturday, April 5 in Flagstaff, Arizona. (I told them I thought they should change their name to “Organization” (rather than “Society”) so they could be the NACHOS, but they seem attached to NACHS, so we’ll leave it that way…).
-Diana
Event Description From NACHS:
Indulge in the timeless tradition of afternoon tea as you engage in lively conversation and sample exquisite delicacies, all in the esteemed company of acclaimed author Diana Gabaldon! Gain unique insights into her renowned Outlander series of novels as Diana shares anecdotes and discusses her creative process in person at Serendipity, a beautiful indoor and outdoor forest venue nestled in the woods of West Flagstaff, Arizona.
Whether you are a devoted reader or simply intrigued by Scottish culture, this event promises to be an elegant and enlightening experience. Secure your place for an afternoon of sophistication, culture, and literary inspiration!
Please note that this event usually sells out quickly, so please secure your in-person ticket ASAP if you wish to come. The venue seats about 100 persons.
Everyone who attends the in-person event will have an opportunity to say hello to Diana while she signs your books. Bring your most treasured Outlander and Lord John novels from home!
If you cannot come in person for the Highland Tea, you may join virtually for a portion of the afternoon when Diana speaks, beginning at 2:00 p.m. (MST). Virtual tickets are $25 (USD).
Tickets To Attend the Highland Tea In Person:
To obtain tickets for the in-person Highland Tea with Diana in Flagstaff:
Please call Jude McKenzie at (928) 606-6327 between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (MST).
Tickets are $125 (USD) per person. Please leave a message for Jude with your name and telephone number so you are added to the queue for tickets. Calls will be returned in the order that they are received.
There are a limited number of premium seats at Diana’s tea table for $300 (USD). If you wish to sit next to Diana, the cost is $500 (USD). When you leave a message for Jude, be sure to mention an interest in those.
Additionally NACHS will raffle off the opportunity to have Diana sit at your table for dessert.
All proceeds benefit the Northern Celtic Historical Society’s educational and cultural efforts through the year.
Tickets for The Virtual On-Line Event – Diana’s Talk at 2:00 p.m. (MST):
If you wish to attend virtually (from anywhere in the world) and hear Diana speak at 2:00 p.m. (MST), these tickets are $25 (USD) and may be purchased at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-virtual-highland-tea-with-diana-gabaldon-tickets-1258565175319
Attending online requires an internet connection and a computer, smart phone or tablet with a web browser.
For those who wish to attend the in-person Highland Tea or the Virtual Tea but aren’t used to navigating different time zones, or live in another country, some information from Diana’s Webmistress is below. Yes, she has heard from unhappy/sad/even-angry Outlander readers who planned to attend virtual online events featuring Diana but were foiled by the Arizona time warp… with no ancient stone circles involved. Diana’s Webmistress penned the following info/essay/TMI to try and help.
About Year-Round Mountain Standard Time (MST) in Arizona:
IMPORTANT: If travelling to Arizona OR joining in on the online event from anywhere outside of the state, know that Flagstaff is always on Mountain Standard Time (MST). Flagstaff and most-of-Arizona* never switch to Daylight Savings Time in the Spring like 48 other states do.
Some jokingly say Arizona is or has a time warp**. In Winter, the time in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tucson, etc., is the same as Denver, Colorado, also in the Mountain Time Zone in North America. Once most of the other states switch to Daylight Savings Time in Spring, however, most-of-Arizona* has the same time as Los Angeles and San Francisco, which are in the Pacific Time Zone!
So…. the idea of Mountain Standard Time—all the time— might cause you to accidentally be an hour off if you are used to DST. Being an hour late means you could miss the event.
A few ways to span time zones are below.
Apple’s World Clock:
Apple’s Clock app for iOS devices (iPhones, iPads) have a handy World Clock feature. Add Flagstaff, Arizona (or Phoenix, Arizona which is also MST) and you can compare your local time to the current time in Arizona*. That’s one option. Apple’s online guides can help:
World Clock help for iPhone users.
World Clock help for iPad users.
Time and Date Converter Website:
The Time and Date World Clock Converter can be used with most brands of computers, tablets or smart phones which have a connection to the internet and a World Wide Web browser (Safari, Chrome, or whatever).
Converting 12:00 p.m. MST To Your Time Zone For The In-Person Tea:
If making travel plans and you live outside of Arizona, click on the link below to determine the Highland Tea’s time at 12:00 p.m. (MST) on April 5 in your time zone:
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20250405T190000&p1=1945
Scroll to the blue box that says Add Locations which looks like this:
Type in your time zone, your location, or a major city in your time zone and press the Return or Enter key.
The time in your time zone which corresponds with the in-person Highland Tea (12:00 p.m. MST) will appear.
Here is an example if you added Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (CDT):
So when the event on April 5 begins at Noon (MST) in Flagstaff, in Oklahoma the time is 2 p.m. (CDT).
Once you actually step foot in most-of-Arizona*, though, you will be on Mountain Standard Time. Smart phones and tablets will automatically change to this time zone. But you may have to set a non-digital watch or alarm clock manually.
Converting 2:00 p.m. (MST) To Your Time Zone For The Virtual Tea
For virtual attendees, please be sure to determine your local equivalent time in advance so you won’t miss the start of the Virtual Tea (Diana’s talk)!
Click on the link below to determine the equivalent time in your time zone for 2:00 p.m. (MST):
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20250405T210000&p1=1945
Scroll to the blue box that says Add Locations, which looks like this:
Type in your time zone, your location, or a major city in your time zone and press the Return or Enter key.
The time in your time zone which corresponds with the Virtual Tea Event (2:00 p.m. MST in Flagstaff, AZ) will appear.
As an example for a virtual attendee in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Central Daylight Time or CDT) she would see the following:
So the Virtual Tea online begins at 4:00 p.m. (Central Daylight Time, or CDT) for an attendee in Oklahoma City.
———
*Note that the Navajo Nation, whose land is located in portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah, DOES use Daylight Savings Time beginning in Spring, and will be using Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) on April 5.
The Hopi Reservation is a Native American reservation for the Hopi Tribe and Arizona Tewa (Hopi-Tewa) people. It is surrounded entirely by the Navajo Nation, in Navajo and Coconino counties of northeastern Arizona. Those living in the Hopi Reservation do not use Daylight Savings Time, and are on Mountain Standard Time (MST) year-round, like the rest of Arizona (except, of course, for the Navajo Nation that surrounds them).
Only one U.S. state besides Arizona does not use Daylight Savings Time… Hawai’i. The Aloha State is close enough to the equator that the total hours of daylight do not vary much throughout the year. The U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not observe DST, either.
It turns out that many Americans want to do away with Daylight Savings Time altogether, the way the Arizona legislature did. An ongoing topic for many state and national lawmakers.
**Click for an amusing article about the Arizona ‘time warp’, but be aware the author assumes, like many do, that the whole state of Arizona is a desert. Nope. Flagstaff is in the largest forest of Ponderosa Pine on Earth, as Diana has pointed out.
April, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
May, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
January, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
June, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
July, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
August, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
September, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
October, 2025
Friday-Sunday, October 24-26, 2025 – SURREY, BC CANADA
Diana Gabaldon will be a featured author at the 33rd annual Surrey International Writers’ Conference.
Paid conference registration is required.
Event Host:
Surrey International Writers’ Conference
https://www.siwc.ca
Event Venue:
Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel
15269 104 Avenue
Surrey, British Columbia
CANADA
Diana Gabaldon will be a featured author and presenter at the 32nd annual Surrey International Writers’ Conference (SIWC).
Her schedule at the conference will be announced here and on the SIWC website when known.
Conference Registration
If you’d like to attend, registration for SIWC begins on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 on the SIWC website.
Mark your calendar with the registration date (June 4) and conference dates (October 24-26) if you’re interested in attending, and stay tuned for more information!
Hotel registration information will be posted when known, also. Registering at the hotel as a conference attendee usually has meant a rate discount. That information will be posted when known.
November, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
December, 2025
No official appearances confirmed at this time.
General Information – Appearances
Please keep the following in mind:
- If tickets are required for an event, they may be free or require a fee which goes to the hosting organization or sponsor. Tickets for ALL events featuring Diana usually sell out very quickly once they become available.
- PLEASE CHECK WITH THE HOSTING ORGANIZATION OR SPONSOR of an appearance or event OFTEN for the latest information, ticketing, venue changes, policies and updates. This list is provided as a convenience and my webmistress works hard to keep it current, but it may not always be perfectly up-to-date.
- If you have questions about an appearance or need more details, please contact the host organization or sponsor listed. They have all the answers. Thanks!
- Diana is always happy to sign and personalize your books at book signing events as time allows. However, note that some events and venues may require a book purchase or have a limit on how many books you can bring from home for signing. Please check with the event host or sponsor if details are not listed on this webpage.
If you know of an event that Diana has confirmed she will attend that is not listed on this webpage, please let Diana’s Webmistress know.
This page was last updated on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 11:20 p.m. (Central Time) by Diana Gabaldon or Diana’s Webmistress.