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The Sacramento Book Festival is coming back this spring for its third year, featuring more than 270 authors and a book drive for homeless youth and adults in the region.<\/p>\n
The festival brings together local bookstores, food trucks and even a family-friendly kids zone as a celebration of book lovers and authors. But a key component of the event is giving back to the community.<\/p>\n
What is the festival\u2019s charitable work?<\/p>\n
The Sacramento Book Festival is continuing its partnership with the Mustard Seed School and its Loaves and Fishes program, which provides students with school supplies and lunches.<\/p>\n
J. Scott Coatsworth, an organizer with the Sacramento Book Festival, said they worked with Loaves and Fishes last year to help the Mustard Seed School obtain children\u2019s books.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really liked what the organization was doing, and said, \u2018if we have you there, what can we do for you?\u2019\u201d Coatsworth said. \u201cSo we went back again this year and said, \u2018we\u2019d love to have you guys there again.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mustard Seed School is asking for activity books and workbooks, Coatsworth said. The book drive will be held during the event.<\/p>\n
Alongside the festival\u2019s charitable contributions, the event will have a variety of panels scheduled throughout the day in Harrison-Shepard Hall. Attendees can dive into street reads at the event, with 5-minute stories written by Sacramento writers.<\/p>\n
What is the Sacramento Book festival?<\/p>\n
The Sacramento Book Festival hopes to be \u201cbigger and better than ever,\u201d said Tim Schooley, a co-organizer of the festival.<\/p>\n
After the first festival in collaboration with the McKinley Park Farmers market, Schooley saw how in-demand a book festival was for the area, he said. Despite limited promotion, the festival was swamped with book lovers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were thousands of people who showed up, overwhelmed us,\u201d Schooley said. \u201cSo this year, we\u2019re going bigger … with plenty of room, all indoor, so the weather won\u2019t be a problem like last year. This one should be really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Sacramento Book Festival began as an effort to promote literacy throughout the region, Schooley said. Created by the Sacramento chapter of the California Writers Club, the festival has now grown \u201corganically.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realized that it had been a long time since Sacramento had a real book festival,\u201d Schooley said. \u201cWe wanted to give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, the festival will feature authors like Kim Stanley Robinson, Wendelin Van Draanen, Beth Ruyak, Christine Villa, Allison Brennan, Faye Snowden, Ambika Vohra, Kakwasi Somadhi and James Rollins.<\/p>\n
\u201cReaders are always looking for new authors, new ideas. Being able to meet with a writer and author, in person, can be really important,\u201d Schooley said.<\/p>\n
The festival will also have food trucks, coffee vendors and a children\u2019s zone. Attendees can also participate in a passport stamp hunt to win prizes like season passes to Capital Stage and B Street Theater, tickets to the Sacramento Ballet and a free meal at Zocalo.<\/p>\n
The festival is free to attend, according to the event\u2019s website. The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in River Park.<\/p>\n
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