Spring is just around the corner--which means it's time for the rebirth of book festivals. The following 21 book festivals are among the many scheduled to take place from February through June 2006. These festivals attract tens of thousands of readers--and dozens of independent and regional publishers--to local communities to celebrate reading and literacy, as well as to benefit local library systems. Contact information for publishers wishing to participate is provided below; check festival Web sites for complete author lists and more details on participants, activities and educational programs.
FEBRUARYNATCHEZ LITERARY AND CINEMA CELEBRATION
Natchez, Miss., Feb. 23-26
http://www.colin.edu/nlcc/default.htm
(866) 296-6522
Seventeenth year. Authors: John T. Edge, John Egerton, Jessica B. Harris, Kenneth Holditch, Robert St. John. Activities: a theme-based lecture series (this year's theme is "Biscuits, Gumbo, Sweet Tea and Bourbon Balls: Southern Food and Drink in History, Literature and Film") enhanced by films, field trips, workshops, exhibits, book signings, and discussions; An Evening with the Stars ceremony honoring writers William Ferris, Noel Polk and Beth Henley. BROWARD COUNTY LITERARY FEAST
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Feb. 24-25
http://www.broward.org/cgi-bin/AT-anchor.pl?literary%
20feast&/usr/lpp/internet/server_root/pub/library/foundation_feast.htm#literary feast1
(954) 357-5954
Eighteenth year. Authors: Maria Amparo Escandon, Barbara Guggenheim, Michele Martinez, Karen Olsson, Tom Pedulla, Matthew Pearl, Bob Spitz, Les Standiford. Activities: Novel Day for Students; Night of Literary Feasts. SOUTH CAROLINA BOOK FESTIVAL AND ANTIQUARIAN BOOK FAIR
Columbia, S. C., Feb. 25-26
http://www.schumanities.org/bookfestival.htm
(803) 771-2477
email: bookfest@schumanities.org
Tenth year. Authors: Sallie Bissell, Sandra Brown, Reshonda Tate Billingsley, Jennifer Crusie, William Price Fox, Cassandra King, Bob Mayer, Ron Rash, Dori Sanders, Ann Rivers Siddons, George Singleton, Ian Smith. Activities: preview cocktail party; live antiquarian auction of more than 100 rare titles and ephemera; six master classes on writing; panels; discussions. MARCHCHILDREN'S LITERATURE FESTIVAL
Warren, Mo., March 5-7
http://library.cmsu.edu/childlit/clf
(660) 543-4306
email: williamson@libserv.cmsu.edu
Thirty-eighth year. Authors: C. S. Adler, William T. Anderson, Gary Blackwood, Dori Butler, Ard Hoyt, Jeanette Ingold, Constance Levy, Patricia Mauser McCord, Gloria Skurzynski, Judy Young. Activities: luncheon with featured speaker Sandy Asher; informal conversation and autographing with authors and illustrators; showcase of books created by festival presenters; workshop with Robin Brickman on illustration techniques. LEE COUNTY READING FESTIVAL
Ft. Myers, Fla., March 18
http://www.lee-county.com/library/ReadingFestivalHome.htm
(239) 479-4636
email: kscholz@leegov.com
Sixth year. Authors: Steve Berry, Meg Cabot, Carol Higgins Clark, Chris Crutcher, Connie May Fowler, Sue Miller, George Pelecanos. Activities: book signings; panel discussions; writing workshops; Authors' Alley; Aztec dance troupe Danza Azteca Guadalupana; one free 'zine for every teen; one free book for every child; Pugfest, a pet-friendly fundraiser. PLANO BOOK FESTIVAL FOR ADULT LITERACY
Plano, Tex., March 26
http://www.planobookfestival.com
(972) 839-9529
Fifth year. Authors: TBA. Activities: authors' party with a networking theme; author readings and signings; panel discussions; book sales; storytelling, exhibits and children's events. VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK
Charlottesville, Va., March 22-26
http://www.vabook.org
(434) 924-6890
email: vabook@virginia.edu
Twelfth year. Authors: Art Buchwald, Jeffery Deaver, Rita Dove, Barbara Ehrenreich, Tim Flannery, George Garrett, Michelle Martinez, Ian Smith, Art Spiegelman. Activities: "Words and Music with Barbara Kingsolver and John McCutcheon" benefit; luncheon with speaker Judith Viorst; Crime Wave luncheon with speaker Michael Connelly. Last year's attendance: 22,874. TENNESSEE WILLIAMS/NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL
New Orleans, La., March 30-April 2
http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/
(504) 581-1144
email: info@tennesseewilliams.net
Twentieth year. Authors: Dorothy Allison, John Barry, Elizabeth Berg, Douglas Brinkley, Rick Bragg, Robert Olen Butler, Michael Chabon, Elizabeth Dewberry, Kent Haruf, Tab Hunter, Mark Kurlansky, Bev Marshall, Tom Oliphant, Nora Roberts, Ayelet Waldman. Activities: panels discussing the effect of Hurricane Katrina on Southern life and culture; master classes; celebrity interviews; theater and music events; food and wine tastings; a scholars conference; literary and other French Quarter walking tours; a Stanley and Stella Shouting Contest. APRILARIZONA BOOK FESTIVAL
Phoenix, Ariz., April 1
http://www.azbookfestival.org
(602) 257-0335 x 28
email jbernstein@azhumanities.org
Ninth year. Authors: Jim Fergus, Jay Fotos, Cynthia Kadohata, Gail Carson Levine, Stephenie Meyer, L.E. Modesitt, Rick Moody, Jodi Picoult, Jon Talton. Events: Stage presentations, panels, and multicultural programs; cookbook demonstrations; an entire area devoted to children's activities and costumed characters. Expected attendance: 10,000. CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL
Hattiesburg, Miss., April 5-7
http://www-dept.usm.edu/~slis/bookfest.htm
(601) 266-4228
e-mail: catharine.bomhold@usm.edu
Authors: Patricia and Frederick McKissack, Pam Munoz, Walter Dean Myers, Kevin O'Malley, Deborah Wiles, Mo Willems. Activities: TBA. SOUTHERN KENTUCKY BOOK FEST
Bowling Green, Ky., April 7-8
http://www.sokybookfest.org
(270) 745-5016
email: jayne.pelaski@wku.edu
Eighth year. Authors: Elizabeth Berg, Rick Bragg, Linda Bruckheimer, Alden Carter, Pat Conroy, Jack Gantos, Bob Morris, Lauren Myracle, Cathie Pelletier. Activities: announcement of winner of Kentucky Literary Awards; speaking presentations; make and do activities; costumed characters; dramatic and musical performances. ALABAMA BOUND FESTIVAL
Birmingham, Ala., April 8
http://www.alabamabound.org
(205) 226-3610
email: lwilson@bham.lib.al.us
Eighth year. Authors: Allen Barra, Sonny Brewer, Paul Hemphill, John O. Northrop, Kathleen McKenna Sherwood, Michael Swindle. Activities: Book signings and readings celebrating Alabama authors and their publishers. ARKANSAS LITERARY FESTIVAL
Little Rock, Ark., April 21-23
http://www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org/main.html
email: festival@arkansasliteracy.org
(501) 663-4321
Authors: Daniel Black, Richard Blanco, H.G. Carillo, John Hope Franklin, Robert Hicks, Joe Klein, Suzanne Marrs, Manuel Muñoz, Willie Perdomo, Neal Pollack, René Saldaña, Jr., Liliana Valenzuela. Activities: book appraisals by NPR's "The Book Guys"; Chapter & Verse Soiree with festival authors; Children's Breakfast; "A Novel Affair" martini reception; Pub or Perish reading; Literary Tapas (snippets of readings by Latino authors). BORDER BOOK FESTIVAL
Mesilla, N. Mex., April 21-23
http://www.borderbookfestival.org
(505) 524-1499
email: bbf@zianet.com
Twelfth year. Authors: TBA. Activities: readings; panels; workshops; literary and storytelling events; Libros y Más trade show that attracts presses, authors and presenters from throughout the U.S. and the region. NORTHERN ARIZONA BOOK FESTIVAL
Flagstaff, Ariz., April 21-23
http://www.nazbookfestival.org
(928) 380-8682
email: rbyrkit@nazbookfestival.org
Ninth year. Authors: Esther Belin, Chris Burawa, Heid Erdich, Margaret Erhart, U.S. poet laureate Ted Kooser, Susan Lang, Katie Lee, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ishmael Reed. Activities: readings of original work by all guest authors; informal Q&A sessions with all guests; children's books, authors, and special events; writing workshops; panel discussions; special handmade-books craft sessions. CHILDREN'S BOOKFEST
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., April 22-29
http://www.browardlibrary.org/web/bookfest/index.htm
(954) 357-7406
Authors: José-Luis Orozco, Allen Say. Activities: a week-long celebration of Children's Day/Book Day, presented in English and nine other languages; an all-day Conference on Children's Literature; grand finale featuring Moonlight Tales and free Family Storytelling Under the Stars. LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
Los Angeles, Calif., April 29-30
http://www.latimes.com/festivalofbooks
(800) LATIMES, ext. 7BOOK
Eleventh year. Authors: Dave Barry, Douglas Brinkley, Mary Higgins Clark, Robert Crais, Larry Flynt, Arianna Huffington, Chip Kidd, David Maraniss, Cokie Roberts, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Sarah Vowell. Activities: more than 90 author/panel discussions, many featuring Times editorial staff; six stages featuring children's programming; poetry readings; cooking demonstrations; music; a 125th anniversary-themed Times Pavilion; the 26th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. Expected attendance: 131,000. OHIO RIVER FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
Huntington, W. Va., April 29
http://www.ohioriverbooks.org
(304) 528-5700
email: orfob@cabell.lib.wv.us
Third year. Authors: Debbie Alferio, Irene Brand, Loretta Craig, Tod Faller, Paul Brett Johnson, Skip Johnson, Erin McCarthy, Harvey Pekar, Susan Nicholas, Carter Taylor Seaton, Ken Slone. Activities: Romance Author Luncheon; Inside Publishing panel; Graphic Novels panel; Mystery Tour; Appalachian Poetry panel. MAYBOOKS IN BLOOM AT THE CRESCENT
Eureka Springs, Ark., May 7
http://www.booksinbloom.org
(870) 423-5300
Second year. Authors: William Berhardt, Lawrence Block, Deborah Crombie, Crescent Dragonwagon, Katy Duffield, Joan Hess, Nadine Trees Nehring, Phillip W. Steele, Doug Stowe, C. D. Wright. Activities: individual talks; panel discussions on poetry and autobiographies; children's area with crafts, puppet shows and storytelling; author reception; silent auction. ANN ARBOR BOOK FESTIVAL
Ann Arbor, Mich., May 10-14
http://www.aabookfestival.org
(734) 662-7407
email: aabf@aabookfestival.org
Third year. Authors: TBA. Activities: authors and book signings; panel discussions; children's activities; music; workshops. Last year's attendance: 10,000. JUNECHICAGO TRIBUNE PRINTERS ROW BOOK FAIR
Chicago, Ill., June 3-4
http://www.printersrowbookfair.org
(312) 527-8280
email: bookfair@tribune.com
Twenty-second year. Authors: TBA. Activities: more than 100 programs including author readings, panel discussions, cooking demonstrations and children's activities; new, used and antiquarian booksellers. Last year's attendance: 80,000.
