Chapter #16: A Reader’s Guide to Book Festivals
Like Coachella, but for books!
Feeling My Shelf is a bi-weekly newsletter about books, life, and well, life with books. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and get comfy. First up, some recent reads.
Anatomy of a Meet Cute by Addie Woolridge
An ob-gyn butts heads with a doctor at her new hospital after an interesting plane meet cute. I was expecting an intense enemies-to-lovers romance and instead got a pretty chill…cute book. It’s a very light read and sometimes the main character annoyed me, but I appreciated the commentary around maternal health and the banter amongst the core group of friends.
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Let me start by saying that this catapulted to the top of my “favorite reads of 2023” list, and I didn’t even want to read it at first. It’s a second-chance romance centered around a divorced couple. Everywhere I turned, it was getting glowing reviews, but for some odd reason I wasn’t interested until I was standing in the middle of a bookstore thinking, “I need to read something,” after weeks of not reading anything. So I bought it and, excuse the hell out of me. It was worth the hype! I devoured it in less than five hours.
Love and Other Flight Delays by Denise Williams
Love is in the air (literally) in this collection of novellas set at the airport. There’s a fake-dating situation, a grumpy-meets-sunshine romance, and a friends-to-lovers story. I liked how they were all interconnected and how sweet they were, but I was expecting a little more steam. A missed opportunity to not include any mile-high-club scenes!
If there’s anything I love as much as books, it’s a book event! Fact: book festivals are like book fairs on steroids. There are tons of great reads for purchase (and even some smelly erasers and bookmarks), plus hundreds of opportunities to meet authors. Throw in some food, live music, and giveaways, and you’ve got a lot of happy book folks!
If you’re considering attending a book festival this year, keep reading.
First Up: Are They Worth Your Time?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is, hell yes! Even if you don’t consider yourself a bookworm, you’ll still have fun. There are often games, giveaways, live performances, and plenty of celebs and authors speaking on panels.
They’re a great way to hear how the “sausage” is made — how a kernel of an idea became a best-selling book. Even better? Many of the festivals are free to attend. Grab a friend (or a few) and go. You might just find your new favorite read.
(Some) Festivals Coming Soon to a City Near You
This is by no means a comprehensive list. There are likely tons of other bookish events happening near you year-round. Just ask Google.
Los Angeles Festival of Books, April 22-23, 2023, University of Southern California, LA.
YALLWEST Book Festival, April 29, 2023, Santa Monica, CA.
Bay Area Book Festival, May 6-7, 2023, Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Park, Berkeley, CA.
San Antonio Book Festival, May 13, 2023, San Antonio, TX.
Steamy Lit Con, August 18-19 2023, Anaheim, CA
Mississippi Book Festival, August 19, Jackson, MS
The Brooklyn Book Festival, 25 September – 3 October 2023, Brooklyn, NY.
Book Festival Must-Haves
A large tote or backpack (or both): For all the free books, signed books, and books that weren’t even on your radar until after hearing the author speak.
Snacks: Festival food is expensive. Bring your own snacks to munch on throughout the day. Also…
Water: All that reading (and listening to people talking about reading) can make you thirsty. And festival water is also expensive.
Sunglasses and sunscreen: Many festivals have outdoor events, so protect yourself from the elements.
Sharpies + Post Its: You know. Just in case you bump into an author outside of the bathroom.
Any books you want signed. There will be books for sale, but depending on the author, the books may sell out fast.
Layers: Some panels are inside where it’s cold. Also, jackets double as makeshift blankets when you want pop a squat and read in the grass.
A portable charger: Between taking photos, browsing the festival app, and terrible service inside buildings, your phone will be working overtime.
Hand sanitizer. Yes.
How To Make The Most of The Day(s)
Dress comfortably. You will likely be moving from one venue to another, and standing in long lines, so wear good shoes.
Consider what you want to get out of the day and move accordingly. Are you there to get books signed? Hear panels on craft? Shop the vendors? Make a plan.
But be flexible! You’re not going to get to everything you want (autographs, tickets, free items), and that’s okay. Figure out your priorities but also be prepared to pivot.
Make yourself approachable. While waiting in a long line to get into a panel, don’t sit with your head down, fiddling with your phone. I know. Easier said than done. But readers are so nice! Talk to us!
Arrive early. Early readers get the (book)worm. That made absolutely no sense, but whatever, you get my point. Parking fills up fast, and so do panels.
Shop at the festival marketplace. There’s so much good stuff. Support small businesses.
Have fun! Maybe a bit cheesy, but let your bookish flag fly proudly at this event dedicated to books!
Bring It On: The Complete Story of the Cheerleading Movie That Changed, Like, Everything (No, Seriously) by Kase Wickman. My first non-fiction read of the year! I’m a little over 100 pages in and it's soooo good! It features interviews with the cast and crew, as well as other filmmakers and executives with ties to the iconic film.
Taking back “beach reads.” How the pandemic came for your skin. “Why I advocate for disability to be fun, fly & sexy — just like me.” The books that have shaped Curtis Sittenfeld, author of Romantic Comedy. The new Barbie trailer! Are you allowed to criticize Angel Reese?: A decision tree. Do you know which books inspired these songs? Emily Henry cracked the modern romance novel. Photos from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.