Tag: Book festivals

Book event: Annual San Antonio Book Festival

The annual San Antonio Book Festival is taking place this Saturday. Photo: San Antonio Book Festival, used with permission.

Exciting news, fellow book lovers! The annual San Antonio Book Festival is happening this weekend. I was lucky enough to be at the inaugural event and it was so much fun. Book festivals are vibrant celebrations of literature that bring together authors, publishers, and avid readers to explore everything book related. These events cater to book enthusiasts and offer a platform for diverse voices and narratives to thrive. From panel discussions to book signings, they foster an immersive experience where attendees can explore the world of storytelling. Book festivals ignite a passion for reading, sparking intellectual discourse and fostering a sense of community among bibliophiles. With their eclectic mix of genres and authors, these festivals serve as catalysts for inspiration, creativity, and the enduring love affair with the written word.

The San Antonio Book Festival (SABF), taking place at the Central Library and UTSA Southwest Campus in downtown San Antonio, is excited to celebrate their 12th annual festival this Saturday, April 13 from 9a.m. to 5p.m. The festival will feature nearly 100 national, regional and local authors including 66 sessions for guests to attend. A full list of all the sessions at the festival is available online. The festival is FREE and open to all ages. (San Antonio Book Festival, 2024)

SABF is also hosting its Authors in Schools program in partnership with San Antonio ISD and Edgewood ISD on Friday, April 12. Participating authors include Pedro Martin (Mexikid) and Kazu Kibuishi (Waverider). The Authors in Schools program helps encourage a passion for reading among children and teens, pairing award-winning authors with underserved, low-income schools to deliver presentations, tell funny stories, share personal journeys, and describe the process of writing their books. All students in attendance receive a free, signed copy of the author’s book to take home. This year’s Authors in Schools program will impact over 1,500 students.

Authors in Schools:
• 2p.m., Friday, April 12, 2024

San Antonio Book Festival:
• 9a.m. to 5p.m., Saturday, April 13, 2024

Authors in Schools:
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Middle School, SAISD
1130 E Sunshine Dr, San Antonio, TX 78228
***Author: Pedro Martin (Mexikid)
• Alonso S. Perales Elementary School, Edgewood ISD
1507 Ceralvo St, San Antonio, TX 78237
***Author: Kazu Kibuishi (Waverider)

San Antonio Book Festival:
• Central Library and UTSA Southwest Campus
600 Soledad St. and 1201 Navarro St.
San Antonio, TX 78205

The mission of the San Antonio Book Festival (SABF) is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries, and literary culture. SABF was first presented in April 2013. Founding partners include the San Antonio Public Library, UTSA Southwest Campus, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, and Texas Book Festival. This “Fiesta for the mind” is a gift to visitors and the citizens of San Antonio, free and open to all.

San Antonio Book Festival 2019

sabookfestival
This year’s San Antonio Book Festival will take place on Saturday April 6. Courtesy photo, used with permission. 

The San Antonio Book Festival is a family friendly event that brings over 20,000 festival-goers to downtown San Antonio for free fun activities suitable for all ages. Set for Saturday April 6 from 9a.m. to 5p.m. at the Central Library and Southwest School of Art, the 2019 schedule features over 100 renowned authors participating in panels, book signings, book sales, children and teen activities, ghost story telling and more. The festival showcases first-time novelists and established writers while introducing attendees to new literary talents and connecting them with their favorite authors. (San Antonio Book Festival, 2019)

Events worth noting include the Stories of the Ghosts of the Rio Grande Valley with David Bowles for teenagers and adults looking for a thrill, a performance of Dr.Krashundbang! presented by The Magik Theatre for the kiddos, a book signing and discussion with Cristela Alonzo, Oscar Cásares and Fernando Flores about their new books, talks with New York Times bestseller Tayari Jones about her novel ‘An American Marriage’ and much more. The complete schedule is available online.

San Antonio Central Library
600 Soledad St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 207-2500

Southwest School of Art
300 Augusta St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 200-8200

First presented in 2013, the mission of the San Antonio Book Festival is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries and literary culture. Founding Partners are the Texas Book Festival, the San Antonio Public Library and Southwest School of Art. Through active partnerships with school districts and community organizations focused on literacy, education and culture, the Festival connects with educators, parents and students, pre-K through college and reaches out to those who are well read and those who love to read well.