Spring is coming! Time to mark the calendars for the spring book festivals, held in various cities around the nation to celebrate authors, books, literacy, and local library systems. The following 22 festivals are scheduled to take place from February through July 2010.

Some small changes: the Border Book Festival in New Mexico (held in April) has decided to forego the trade show format and will instead concentrate on smaller venues with readings, panels and workshops and fewer writers/artists. Also, the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair (held in June) has revised its name to the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest.

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.

FEBRUARY:

NATCHEZ LITERARY AND CINEMA CELEBRATION
Natchez, Miss., Feb. 25-28
www.colin.edu/nlcc
(866) 296-6522

Twenty-first year. Authors: James C. Cobb, Trudier Harris, Sam Haskell, John Mayfield, Clifton Taulbert, Jerry W. Ward Jr., Charles Reagan Wilson. Activities: a theme-based lecture series (this year's theme is “Humor in the Deep South”) enhanced by workshops, exhibits, book signings, and discussions; presentation of Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award to Robert S. McElvaine and Steve Yarbrough.

SOUTH CAROLINA BOOK FESTIVAL
Columbia, S.C., Feb. 27-28
www.scbookfestival.org
(803) 771-2477
e-mail: bookfest@schumanities.org

Fourteenth year. Authors: more than 100, including Rick Bragg, Walter Edgar, Dorothea Benton Frank, John Hart, Robert Hicks, Jill McCorkle, Sharyn McCrumb, Ron Rash, Francis Ray, Dacre Stoker. Activities: master classes; an opening night reception; Brunching with Authors; a Fine Art Exhibit and Sale; a moveable feast on Sunday morning. Expected attendance: 6,000.

MARCH:

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE FESTIVAL
Warrensburg, Mo., March 14-16
http://guides.library.ucmo.edu/clf
(660) 543-4306
e-mail: williamson@libserv.ucmo.edu

Forty-second year. Authors: C. S. Adler, Sandy Asher, Darleen Bailey Beard, Eileen Christelow, Sneed Collard III, Shane Evans, Patricia Hermes, Alexandria LaFaye, Marc Tyler Nobleman, Gloria Skurzynski. Activities: luncheon with featured speaker Cheryl Klein, senior editor at Arthur A. Levine Books; informal conversation and autographing; workshops; presentations; exhibit of children’s book illustrations.

VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK
Charlottesville, Va., March 17-21
www.vabook.org
(434) 924-6890
e-mail: vabook@virginia.edu

Sixteenth year. Authors: Kim Addonizio, Rhys Bowen, Rick Bragg, Matthew Crawford, Lucinda Franks, Nikki Giovanni, John Hart, Kaylie Jones, David Liss, Nancy Martin, Guian A. McKee, Alice Randall, Patricia Sullivan. Activities: festival luncheon with Michael Malone; Crime Wave Luncheon with Julia Spencer-Fleming; Business Breakfast with Michael Gelb; authors reception; American Accents with Lee Smith, E. Ethelbert Miller, Elizabeth Strout, and Colum McCann.

BROWARD COUNTY LITERARY FEAST
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 19-20
www.literaryfeastonline.org
(954) 357-7384
email: nrogers@bplfoundation.org

Twenty-first year. Authors: Steve Alten, Russell Banks, R. B. Bernstein, Deborah Crombie, Joy Fielding, Mireille Guiliano, Anne C. Heller, David Kirby, Jean Hanff Korelitz, Elizabeth Kostova, Emily Liebert, Ellen Lupton, Peter Maass, Bob Morris, Achy Obejas, Alexandra Penney, Patricia Powell, Lisa See, Poppy Tooker, Jerald Walker, L. Jon Wertheim. Activities: Novel Day for Students; Night of Literary Feasts; Lit Live! author appearances.

ALABAMA BOUND FESTIVAL
Birmingham, Ala., March 20
www.alabamabound.org
(205) 226-3610
e-mail: lwilson@bham.lib.al.us

Eleventh year. This year’s festival will be part of the statewide The Big Read, focusing on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.Authors: Ted Dunagan, Faye Gibbons, Chandra Sparks-Taylor. Activities: readings by a Mark Twain impersonator; period music; storytelling with Dolores Hydock; panel discussion of the book with experts from different perspectives.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA READING FESTIVAL
Ft. Myers, Fla., March 20
http://www.readfest.org/
(239) 337-7323
e-mail: readingfestival@leegov.com

Eleventh year. Authors: Tim Dorsey Lisa Jackson,, Sharon M. Draper, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Robert Macomber, Gustavo Bolivar Moreno, Myracle, Carla Neggers, Lauren R.L. Stine, F. Paul Wilson. Activities: keynote address by Lisa Scottoline; A Book for Every Child; children's activities & crafts; teen contests; aspiring authors writing contest.

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS / NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL
New Orleans, La., March 24-28
www.tennesseewilliams.net
(504) 581-1144
e-mail: info@tennesseewilliams.net

Twenty-fourth year. Authors: Edward Albee, Jill Conner Browne, Dave Eggers, Winston Groom, Michael Lewis, Cokie Roberts, John Patrick Shanley. Activities: staged readings and productions of Williams's work; master classes; celebrity interviews; theater and music events; food and wine tastings; a scholars' conference; literary and other French Quarter walking tours; Tea with Tennessee; a Stanley and Stella Shout-off; a Bedtime Stories erotica reading.


APRIL:

FAY B. KAIGLER CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL
Hattiesburg, Miss., April 7-9
www.usm.edu/bookfest
(601) 266-4228
e-mail: karen.rowell@usm.edu

Forty-third year. Authors: Lulu Delacre, Charles Ghigna, Maureen Johnson, Walter Mayes, Frank McGarvey, Richard Peck, David Wiesner, Dan Yaccarino. Activities: storytelling; author discussion panels; workshops for educators and librarians.

FOX CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL
Appleton, Wisc., April 11-18
www.focol.org/bookfest
(920) 687-1806
e-mail: twentzel@new.rr.com

Third year. Authors: nearly 40, including Charlotte Bell, James Campbell, Novella Carpenter, Chris Crutcher, James DeVita, Jennifer Choldenko, Kim Edwards, Jane Hamilton, Lesley Kagen, Mary Karr, Ellen Kort, Laurie Notaro, Robert San Souci, David Wroblewski. Activities: festival-related art exhibits “Pop-Up Books” and “Three Wisconsin Book Artists;” readings; book chats; a Saturday Book Fair showcasing publishers, local and regional authors and their works. Last year’s attendance: approximately 6,000.

ARKANSAS LITERARY FESTIVAL
Little Rock, Ark., April 16-19
www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org
(501) 918-3098
e-mail: bmooy@cals.org

Seventh year. Authors: Staceyann Chin, Margaret McMullan, Marcus Sakey, more TBA. Activities: panel discussions, special events, performances, workshops, more TBA.

SOUTHERN KENTUCKY BOOK FEST
Bowling Green, Ky., April 17
www.sokybookfest.org
(270) 745-5016
e-mail: tracy.harkins@wku.edu

Twelfth year. Authors: Mary Branson, Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Joel DiGirolamo, Michael Embry, Dan Gediman, Molly Harper, Leatha Kendrick, Teresa Medeiros, David Pierce, Stephanie Snowe, Karen White. Activities: TBA.

BORDER BOOK FESTIVAL
Mesilla and Las Cruces, N. Mex., April 23-24
www.borderbookfestival.org
(575) 523-3988
e-mail: bbf@borderbookfestival.com

Sixteenth year. Authors: Santa Barraza, Jean Buchanan, Denise Chávez, Corina Gabaldón, Janae Padilla, John Randall, Leslie Schwartz, Daniel Zolinsky. Activities: TBA.

LOS ANGELES TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
Los Angeles, Calif., April 24-25
www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks
(800) LATIMES, ext. 7BOOK

Fifteenth year. Authors: TBA. Activities: author/panel discussions; children's programming; poetry readings; cooking demonstrations; music. Expected attendance: 130,000.

NORTHERN ARIZONA BOOK FESTIVAL
Flagstaff, Ariz., April 24-26
www.nazbookfest.com
e-mail: nazbookfest@gmail.com

Thirteenth year. Authors: TBA. Activities: TBA.

MAY:

GREATER ROCHESTER TEEN BOOK FESTIVAL
Rochester, N.Y., May 15
www.teenbookfestival.org
e-mail: stephanies@tbflive.org

Fifth year. Authors: Matt de la Pena, Marissa Doyle, Laurie Halse, Patrick Jones, James Kennedy, Daniel Kirk, Mari Mancusi, Ben Mikaelsen, Sarah Ockler, Terry Trueman, Vivian Vande Velde, Martin Wilson. Activities: opening author panel led by Teen Volunteers; breakout sessions with authors; music by local teen bands; special autographing session; book sales.

BOOKS IN BLOOM
Eureka Springs, Ark., May 16
www.booksinbloom.org
(870) 423-5300
e-mail: elderwind@carrollmadisonpubliclibraries.org

Sixth year. Authors: TBA. Activities: author readings, presentations, and children’s literary activities.

NATIONAL BLACK BOOK FESTIVAL
Houston, Tex., May 21-23
www.nationalblackbookfestival.com
(800) 340-5454
e-mail: info@nationalblackbookfestival.com

Third year. Authors: J. M. Benjamin, ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Tracy Brown, Je'Caryous Johnson, Carl Weber. Activities: Book signing and discussion sessions; workshops and seminars; a Welcome to Houston Reception with Gary Guidry; a Ladies-Only Private Slumber Party with Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson; a Get Acquainted Breakfast with Leslie Wagner-Wilson; a Prayer Breakfast with Cheryl Lacey Donovan; a Spoken Word Poetry Slam with Takasha.

CELEBRATION OF BLACK WRITING FESTIVAL
Philadelphia, Pa., May 26-29
www.artsanctuary.org
(215) 232-4485
e-mail: info@artsanctuary.org

Twenty-sixth year. Authors: Derrick Barnes, Steven Barnes, Bryan Collier, Eloise Greenfield, Bernard Lafayette, Yvette Small, Carla Wylie, more TBA. Activities: presentation of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award to Nikki Giovanni; Hip-Hop Speaks: A Nikki Giovanni School Matinee; an Asian-American Hip-Hop School Matinee; panel discussions; workshops; performances.

JUNE:

CHICAGO TRIBUNE PRINTERS ROW LIT FEST
Chicago, Ill., June 12-13
www.chicagotribune.com/about/custom/events/printersrow
(312) 527-8280
e-mail: bookfair@tribune.com

Twenty-sixth year. Authors: TBA. Activities: booksellers, poetry readings, exhibitors, kids’ activities, cooking demos, wine tastings, more TBA.

AUTHOR! AUTHOR! SHREVEPORT'S CELEBRATION OF THE WRITTEN WORD
Shreveport, La., June 13
www.authorauthorshreveport.com
e-mail: llaird@authorauthorshreveport.com

Second year. Authors: TBA. Activities: separate children's area with special activities and a brown bag fairy lunch; author panels; keynote speakers; author meet & greet for autographs; fais do-do (Cajun literary ball).

JULY:

HARLEM BOOK FAIR
New York, N.Y., July 17-19
www.qbr.com
(212) 348-1681
email: hbf@qbr.com

Twelfth year. Authors: TBA: Activities: panel discussions; outdoor stage; TBA.