photos courtesy of Shane Kyle from CE Group
We live in a “City on the Rise” so it makes sense that our annual San Antonio Book Festival (which is free and open to the public!) will draw over 90 acclaimed national and regional authors to the Alamo City to share, discuss, and sell their works.
Held this year on Saturday, April 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the San Antonio Central Library and the Southwest School of Art, the festival delights book lovers, both young and old, with:
- author presentations
- book sales and signings
- a literary marketplace
- crafts and activities
- recipe demonstrations from cookbook authors
- food truck fare
- live music
- a technology area
But the book festival isn’t just for adults. Kids can meet 15 children’s and young adult authors and hear them read selections from their stories. And My Story, Say Sí, the San Antonio Children’s Museum, Spare Parts, and The Magik Theatre will also provide interactive educational and art activities for kids throughout the event and in the children’s reading tent.
A new feature at this year’s festival is the Literary Death Match. This event, held in the evening at the Empire Theatre, does have an entrance fee (which benefits the San Antonio Book Festival, a program of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation). According to my friend and Literary Death Match judge Molly Cox,
[Four authors] will be given seven minutes to either perform passages from their book or entertainingly talk about their work. They will be judged on literary merit, performance, and intangibles. They clearly weren’t looking at me to judge literary merit or performance, so you can expect me to speak to all things intangible. I don’t exactly know what that means, but I know it’ll be awesome.
With this fantastic variety of sessions, authors, tents, and book-loving fun all squeezed into just one day, how will you know where to go and what to do once you arrive? San Antonio bloggers have you covered. Check out their posts below for festival details (including attending authors), suggestions for sessions you won’t want to miss, and author Q&As to help you and your family plan an awe-inspiring day at the San Antonio Book Festival:
San Antonio Book Festival: 5 Ways to Get Excited by Veronica Rouse with Seven Lovely Things
Children’s and Young Adult Authors at the San Antonio Book Festival on April 5, 2014 and an Interview with Joe Cepeda, Illustrator of “Cub’s Big World” and Guest at the San Antonio Book Festival by Inga Cotton with San Antonio Charter Moms
San Antonio Book Festival by Denise Richter with San Antonio Tourist
San Antonio Book Festival: Farm Animals & American Sign Language by Melissa Droegemueller with Lone Star Signers
Local Spotlight: San Antonio Book Festival by Christina Coker with Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget
San Antonio Book Festival Latino Authors … One (of many) Reasons to Attend by Melanie Mendez-Gonzales with Que Means What
The San Antonio Book Festival by Burgin Streetman with Vintage Kids’ Books My Kid Loves
Children’s Bilingual and Cultural Books are Representing at the 2014 San Antonio Book Festival by Michelle Rodriguez with Family Love in My City
2nd Annual San Antonio Book Festival (a post in both English and Spanish!) by Telma Garcia with At the Fire Hydrant
San Antonio Book Festival by Lilliana Gonzalez with My Tots Travel
Mastering Biscuits Is Part of Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking by John Griffin with Savor SA
“A River Runs Through It…” Essay Contest Preludes Book Festival by Iris Dimmick with The Rivard Report
San Antonio blogger posts about the 2013 San Antonio Book Festival experience:
Our Visit to the (2013) Texas Book Festival in San Antonio by Alvina Castro with There’s Magic Out There
The San Antonio Book Festival Was Here and We Can’t Wait For Next Year! by Michelle Rodriguez with Family Love in My City
For more information, visit the San Antonio Book Festival on Facebook and Twitter.
Can’t wait to visit SA! I love that area of TEXAS. What a fun blog.
Thanks so much, Kim! Let me know when you visit and I’ll be sure to send some fun ideas your way.
Great resource post! Many will thank you for it!
Thanks, Patti. It’s going to be an amazing day for book lovers.
I can’t wait to read through these posts today! The girls and I are really excited about the Festival–we have a big stack of books that we’re reading each day. Thanks for doing the round-up!
You’re going to be so ready for it! I can’t wait to take my kids.
The SA Bloggers have looked at the San Antonio Book Festival from so many different angles. I was mostly focusing on the kids’ stuff, but there really is something for everyone. Really looking forward to it.