BEYOND THE BOOKS
WHAT ELSE IS UP AT THE FESTIVAL?
Just because it ’s about books doesn’t mean this festival is anything like your whisper- quiet local librar y.
Sure, the annual L. A. Times Festival of Books features writers, literature and interviews with celebsturned-authors. But books are only part of the bounty that will be offered during the April 9 and April 10 event at the University of Southern California.
In addition, there will be plenty to see, hear and eat for those who love music, food and shopping.
“The Festival of Books is all about joy, curiosity and discovery,” said Scott Dallavo, director of events and strategic partnerships for the Times.
“We invite everyone to come have a good time.” So what’s there to do besides listen to authors and browse books? Plenty. The festival features a full scope of cultural offerings, with 10 outdoor stages and 12 conversation rooms with more than 600 authors. In fact, Dallavo said, for many people, the best way to navigate the festival is plotting out your day in advance to squeeze as much as possible into your visit.
Live- music lovers can camp out at the L. A. Sound Stage. The stage will feature a crosssection of sound — from indie rock to reggae — to reflect the diversity of the city’s music scene.
This year’s Sunday headliner is singer/ songwriter John Doe, who co- founded the local punk band X.
Saturday’s main act will be Buyepongo, an L. A.based polyrhythmic Afro beat band. Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones will do a live broadcast of his 95.5 KLOS radio show, Jonsey’s Jukebox, from the Norris Theater. A wide range of musicians and authors get to show off their skills at the USC Stage. The lineup includes many student- based acts along with groups featuring USC faculty, staff and alumni.
Performances range from the school’s famous Trojan Marching Band to rock, pop, gospel, altcountry, classical and Taiko groups. Not into music? No problem. The festival is also a feast of culinary offerings.
The Acura Cooking Stage will host demos and conversations with food writers. The buffet of choices includes a Saturday morning conversation with Lidia Bastianich, author of “Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine,” to a Sunday afternoon demo about contemporary Mexican cooking from author and host of PBS’ Pati’s Mexican Table, Pati Jinich.
There’s a food truck garden on site with a few dozen vendors — a destination all its own. Dallavo said surveys from past festivals show that, after books and authors, the second most popular attraction at the festival is the shopping.
That pattern may repeat itself this year with an offering of 300 exhibitors. The bulk of sellers are related to the literary, arts or publishing worlds.
Guests can discover finds ranging from local bookstores to self- published authors and comic book stores selling fanboy items.
Members of the Branded Arts collective will curate six pieces of evolving street art on site during the two- day event. Each piece will have a different theme based on the performance area.
“Branded Arts is very excited to participate in the Festival of Books. Collaborating with LA Times and USC is a real honor for us. We truly believe in the transformative power of art and our goal is to inspire people, provide a creative outlet and display positive imagery,” said Warren Brand, president of Branded Arts. “L. A. is a vibrant city, and our [ festival] is vibrant. … It’s grown into a festival of all the arts,” Dallavo said.