Street fair brings authors, readers together
Literacy Mid-South hosting book festival
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”
That quote is attributed to (of course) Groucho Marx. We repeat it here because it reminds us (do we need reminding?) that books can be fun (even funny), in addition to being educational and informative. Their pages might be called the original flat screens, and they are as much a source of portable entertainment as any electronic device. They deserve to be celebrated, which is why Literacy Mid-South this week hosts its second annual Mid-South Book Festival, a literary addition to a September schedule already crowded with public events dedicated to music, film and fatty foods.
In addition to “book,” a key word from that Groucho quote is “outside.” The Book Festival runs Wednesday through Sept. 13, with panels, workshops and other events, mostly inside Playhouse on the Square and Circuit Playhouse, but its centerpiece is a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday “street fair” on Cooper, which will be blocked to traffic for the block between Union to Monroe. Demonstrating that reading and writing and other bookish pursuits can be enjoyed outdoors, the free street fair will be packed with family-friendly activities related to books, art and the exercise of the imagination. Organizers have high hopes, and expect 5,000 people to attend the festival overall, with much of that number arriving Saturday, where they will be able to interact with nationally recognized writers, as well as local favorites. (Last year’s Book Festival, at the Memphis Botanic Garden, drew some 3,000 visitors.)
“We’re big on sports in the South, television is popular, movies, so it’s nice for book lovers to have their day, especially since reading and writing often are so solitary,” said Memphis’ Barry Wolverton, a festival participant.
Kevin Dean, executive director of Literacy Mid-South, said the Book Festival “fills a vacuum” in the Memphis arts calendar. It also fills a geographical hole: Nashville, Little Rock and New Orleans already host major annual book fairs.