By: Bryanna Gallant
The Boston Public Library, along with a team of sponsors and volunteers, hosted the fifth annual Boston Book Festival in Copley Square from Oct.17 to 19.
Approximately 25,000 people attended various events throughout the three-day festival. The event included 150 presenters, speakers, live musicians, poets, and a street fair consisting of more than 70 booths with vendors such as the New York Times, The National Writers Union, The Brattle Book Shop, and writing programs of The New School in New York, Emerson College and Lesley University.
“The goal of the festival was to bring a wide range of people and interests together in a city that is known for its forward thinking and innovative ideas,” said Joyce Linehan, a media relations coordinator for the event.
The celebration focused on the promotion of new books, publications, and relevant current events within the writing field. Participants were able to interact with authors, learn about the writing process, and become informed on numerous different genres of literature. Most events and the street fair were free, although some cost a $10 admittance fee.
“I think the festival was wonderful,” said Suffolk University student Luke Rossi. “It’s great that so many people can get together to celebrate something they’re passionate for. Celebrating reading and writing is extremely important, and there is so much to be gained from that,” he said.
Notable presentations of the festival included keynote speaker Salman Rushdie and a discussion of his memoir, as well as Joseph Anton, an art installation by Judith Donath depicting The Voices of Boston’s Bookstores, and an event highlighting the attendance of the Newbury Medal Winners, Lois Lowry, Jack Gantos, Kate DiCamillo, and Rebecca Stead.
The Boston Book Festival also paid respect to the Boston Marathon bombings of last April through three events over the weekend. The Trinity Sanctuary hosted “Our Boston: Writer’s Celebrate the City That They Love,” and journalists discussed their reporting decisions in “The Boston Marathon: Telling Tragedy’s Story.” These events focused on the importance of staying strong and the love felt for the city of Boston.
A large portion of the festival was dedicated to the promotion of literacy in children. “We want to get children excited about reading at a young age,” said Linehan. Story time readings and skits occurred while the life-like characters of Curious George and the Man in the Yellow hat greeted children as they explored the festival. Children also had the option to collect various stamps from participating vendors around the festival in their “passport to imagination.” At the children’s keynote presentation, children could create their own book with author and illustrator, Tomie dePaola. DePaola is best known for his book Stega Nona.
For more information about the Boston Book Festival and for upcoming information on next year’s festival, please visit: http://www.bostonbookfest.org.
