{"id":26071,"date":"2025-09-19T18:57:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T18:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/26071\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T18:57:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T18:57:13","slug":"atlanta-book-fest-a-community-focused-literary-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/26071\/","title":{"rendered":"Atlanta Book Fest: A Community-Focused Literary Event"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AttendeesThe Atlanta Book Club is hosting the first-ever Atlanta Book Fest at the Gathering Spot in Downtown Atlanta. (Photo courtesy of Atlanta Book Club)<\/p>\n

Atlanta Book Club is not like other book clubs. When Alyssa Evans started the group in November 2023, she wanted it to be less about the books<\/a> and more about connecting Atlantans with each other. <\/p>\n

The group started with a meeting of 10 people and has grown to over 400 members attending the various events the group hosts, including audiobook walks with the Atlanta Run Club, book discussions over dinner, book swaps in hotel lobbies, and shop-and-sip events at local bookstores.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want it to be about people coming together and having a space for people to talk and share about things,\u201d Evans told Rough Draft. \u201cI wanted the book to be more of a conversation starter.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

So, when SRA Media approached Evans to host an author panel, she knew she wanted the event to be much bigger. Thus, the Atlanta Book Fest was born.<\/p>\n

On Oct. 3, more than 130 readers and writers will join Evans and the Atlanta Book Club at The Gathering Spot for a full day of author panels, writing and publishing workshops, book swaps and a local authors market, crafting opportunities, live poetry and rap performances, and more. <\/p>\n

The lineup includes performances and sessions led by non-fiction author Katie Mitchell<\/a>, fiction writer Wyvonne Page, founder of the Black Writers Weekend<\/a> Tamika Newhouse<\/a>, musician MMW<\/a>, and poet Ad\u00e1n Bean<\/a>; bookmark and tote bag decorating with Atlanta Craft Club<\/a>; friendship bracelet making with Amiqo<\/a>; library card registration with the Fulton County Library; plus plenty of chances to purchase books directly from Atlanta authors.<\/p>\n

Like Atlanta Book Club, Evans said that the festival is less about books and more about community. There will be several opportunities for intentional connection; Amiqo will host social bingo, where each square on the board represents a trait in another attendee that you have to mingle with to find out, and conversation cards will facilitate deeper connection between attendees.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just hope you find a new book and find a new friend,\u201d Evans said.<\/p>\n

If that doesn\u2019t sound like enough literary fun, Atlanta Book Club will host more micro-events leading up to the festival, including a Pilates class, silent reading night at Original ChopShop<\/a>, a shop and sip at Brave + Kind Books<\/a>, socials, book swaps, and more. Ticketholders to the festival get first access to RSVP for these events. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The Atlanta Book Fest is Oct. 3 from 4-9 p.m. at The Gathering Spot. Tickets are $48.48 and can be purchased here<\/a>. To learn more, follow on social media @atlantabookfest<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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