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LOUISIANA BOOK FESTIVAL COMING TO DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGEBATON ROUGE – On Saturday, October 4, 2007, 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., booklovers of all ages will get a chance to share the joy of reading at the sixth annual Louisiana Book Festival in downtown Baton Rouge. During the festival, more than 125 authors will present their latest releases, discuss them with their fans and sign autographs. The book festival is free and open to the public. It all takes place in the heart of Baton Rouge at the State Library of Louisiana, the Louisiana State Capitol, the Louisiana State Museum and nearby locations. “The Louisiana Book Festival presents a unique opportunity for Louisiana visitors and residents to experience first-hand exceptional authors and the literary heritage of our state,” said Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu, whose office oversees the State Library of Louisiana. “It is now more important than ever to celebrate what is unique about Louisiana. I am proud to champion this world-class celebration of writers and books and want everyone to enjoy what it has to offer.” The Louisiana Book Festival, presented under the auspices of the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana, is the premier event of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Last year nearly 16,000 visitors from across the nation attended the festival, the highest attendance increase since the festival’s inception. During that single weekend, visitors injected nearly $1,000,000 into the economy. More than 500 citizens from across the state volunteered at the festival. State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton looks forward to the annual book celebration. “This is a fantastic example of the State Library of Louisiana reaching beyond the library walls to engage readers, writers, publishers, booksellers, aspiring writers and everyone else who loves books and reading,” says Hamilton. “This state has a tremendous literary heritage. While Louisiana serves as a wonderful setting for fiction and verse, our history is also the inspiration for many fascinating and captivating stories.” The festival starts at 10 a.m. with a program in the Senate Chamber honoring William Joyce, recipient of the 2008 Louisiana Writer Award. Master creator Joyce wrote his first book in the fourth grade. Since then he has produced award-winning, best-selling classics that are loved by both children and adults. Hailed by Newsweek as one of the top 100 people to watch in the new millennium, William Joyce’s distinct and striking drawings and imaginative storytelling depict a world full of whimsy, fun and adventure - the kind of world a child would want to jump into. Throughout the day, Louisiana Book Festival readings and discussions continue in the Senate and House Chambers and Committee Hearing Rooms. Visitors may sit in the carpeted Senate Chamber and listen to poets Darrell Bourque and Jack Bedell talk about their collaboration Call and Response. Or they can visit the House of Representatives to listen to author Tom Piazza, winner of the James Michener Award for Fiction, Faulkner Society Award for the Novel, and a 2004 Grammy Award for his album notes to Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey. While most of the programs in the Capitol are geared towards adult and young adult readers, the Young Readers Pavilion is meant to capture the interest of children of all ages. Louisiana Book Festival organizers have scheduled performances of storytellers and musicians such as Oneal Isaac, Angela Davis, Phil Melancon, Johnette Downing, and Jeannine Pasini Beekman. As a special treat, the dance company Mid City Dance Project will present a ballet performance inspired by the works of Hans Christian Anderson. The performance will be held in the State Library of Louisiana Seminar Center. As part of the festival, organizers will honor the works of the winning Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award books, Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude, written and illustrated by Keven O’Malley and illustrated by Carol Heyer and Scott Goto and The Lightning Thief, written by Rick Riordan. The award is given yearly as a result of a reading enrichment program established by the State Library and the Louisiana Center for the Book. The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra will present a free outdoor concert on a stage in front of the Louisiana State Capitol. From 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., Conductor David Torns and the symphony will present “The Sound of Books,” a program of music selections from films that originated as books. The public is welcome to get comfortable on the Capitol steps as they enjoy the performance. Once again, a Cooking Demonstration Tent will be set up on Spanish Town Road where cookbook authors Frank Davis, Mike Lane and Susan Spicer will offer festival-goers a taste of their dishes. Food vendors will also be on hand offering Louisiana cuisine. Throughout the day, Louisiana musicians will perform at a stage set up on Spanish Town Road. More than 75 book-related organizations will be on hand with booths set up between the State Capitol and the State Library on North Fourth Street. Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy book-related exhibitions, demonstrations and performances. Visitors will also get a chance to buy books penned by the festival’s authors and have them sign their works at the Festival Market & Signing Tent. The Louisiana Book Festival is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Center for the Book; the State Library of Louisiana; the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism; Office of the Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu and the Louisiana Library Foundation. It is funded through federal and state grants as well as private sponsors such as the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Barnes & Noble Booksellers Information on the 2008 Book Festival is available online at www.LouisianaBookFestival.org or by calling (225)-219-9503. ### |
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