For Immediate Release: 2/11/2020 2:39 pm
The City of Worcester and community partners will host the first Worcester Book Festival, a two-day celebration of written and spoken words, community narratives, regional and local authors, poetry, history, fiction, nonfiction and more, on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.
The festival begins at the Worcester PopUp on Friday, April 17 with a poetry reading hosted by the Worcester County Poetry Association and an interactive kick-off party hosted by the Worcester Arts Council. A variety of events for adults, youth, and children will follow on Saturday, April 18.
Attendees can take part in poetry readings, writing workshops, and history-centered events. Distinguished authors will host panels and discussions on a diverse range of themes.
Events for children and youth include children’s story time and youth writing, spoken word and comic workshops. Festival programs will take place at various downtown Worcester venues including the Worcester PopUp, the Worcester Public Library, the Worcester Common, Revolution Pie and Pint, the Beer Garden, and more. A full itinerary and schedule will be released later this month.
“Both the arts and education are two areas that I’m very passionate about,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. “Our main Library is being enhanced through a renovation project and we recently introduced our Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate. Hosting an annual Book Festival will add to that atmosphere as we continue to celebrate artistic expression.”
The Worcester Book Festival is presented by the City of Worcester and the Worcester Cultural Coalition, with support from the American Antiquarian Society, Bedlam Book Café, Grid Hospitality Group, Mass DiGI, Preservation Worcester, Worcester Arts Council, Worcester County Poetry Association, Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester Public Library and the Worcester Public Library Foundation.
