Perhaps you’ve seen that we are hosting the second annual Monroe Children’s Book Festival. That’s great!
Now you’re wondering…what is that?? This guide is here to help! We’ll quickly walk you through what a book festival is, and how best to enjoy one!
Step One: What is a Book Festival?
Isn’t it like a Book Fair? NOPE! Book Fair vs Book Festival:
A Book Fair is a careful selection of books brought into an establishment for purchase.
A Book Festival is the full immersion into a literary experience. Book festivals are full of authors, presentations, book characters, panels, and all the wonder that accompanies the enjoyment of reading. Our book festival in particular is specifically children’s books, encompassing the whimsy of picture books to the fantastic of young adult novels.
Step Two: What Do You Do at a Book Festival?
Meet the Author or Story Book Characters:
Attend author events, panels, book signings
Meeting the author is like the extras for a movie: backstory, process, outtakes, director’s commentary, etc. Interact with not just one author, but multiple! Ask them questions and learn about how their books came to be.
Visit Attractions:
Bouncy House
Farmer’s Market
Cow Train
Business Booths
Food Trucks
Photo Ops
Simply Enjoy Downtown Monroe on a Festival Day:
Enjoy the whimsy of the downtown all trussed up for a weekend of celebrating reading
Engage in the magic of reading yourself and pick up a new book or seven
Step Three: How Do You Participate Best?
Plan out your day! With so much going on, make sure you won’t kick yourself later for missing out on something awesome!
Festivals schedule will be available so you can properly prepare
Make sure you check the map so you know where everything is happening
Some events are ticketed due to expected crowds. Double check!
Want a book signed by an author?
Purchase a copy of that author’s book from the Festival Sponsored Bookstore
See our forthcoming post on the power of pre-ordering for more info!
Pre-order any books you know you’ll want signed!
There are no guarantees of getting a copy the day of the event, so best to reserve your copy ahead of time!
Pre-ordering also helps event coordinators know how many people to expect for an event!
Take lots of photos!
