South Carolina Blooms First

by Diane Patrick -- Publishers Weekly, 2/7/2005

The first spring book festival has sprung with the South Carolina Book Festival, which will be held in Columbia on February 19–20. Billed as the largest literary event in the state, this year's festival has changed venues to the recently opened Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Events at the free festival will include readings, signings, panel discussions, theatrical performances, literary walking tours, musical performances and a book fair.

Participating authors include Barbara Taylor Bradford, Jan Burke, Mindy Friddle, Karin Gillespie, Carolyn Hart and the state's poet laureate, Marjorie Wentworth.

For additional information, visit www.schumanities.org/bookfestival.htm or call (803) 771-2477. Next month, look for PW's annual listing of spring book festivals that begin in March.