Attention Bibliophiles: There’s a Huge Bookfest in Grand Park This Weekend!

Looking for a fun and free way to spend your afternoon this weekend? How about the Downtown Bookfest?

This Saturday, March 28 from 12pm – 5pm the Downtown Bookfest will take hold of Grand Park with loads of literary entertainment for the entire family. The event represents a massive coalition of local organizations, publishers and authors that is sure to impress book lovers of all persuasions.

There will be pop-up bookshops, community cameras where you can contribute your own photos, plus arts, crafts and other activities presented by organizations like 826 LA and First 5 LA, and of course a huge slate of live readings and performances on two separate stages.

Awesome! We're enjoying @storypirates – a one of a kind sketch comedy musical based entirely on stories by children, including those written by Grand Park kidz! #homegrownlit

A photo posted by Grand Park (@grandpark_la) on Mar 29, 2014 at 1:32pm PDT

Check the full lineup of scheduled performances below, and of course for more information go to the official Grand Park website.

Enjoy!

FAMILY PAVILION SCHEDULE:

12:15PM – 1:15PM: Performances by RENAISSANCE FAIRE Storytellers

1:15PM – 1:30PM: Reading by David Kipen from the BIG READ LA’s title Into the Beautiful North

1:30PM – 2PM: Selections from CALIFORNIA: THE TEMPEST by CORNERSTONE THEATER COMPANY (come back and see the full production in GRAND PARK JUNE 18-20)

2PM – 2:30PM: : Sing-A-Long in Bilingual English/Spanish with Ana & Luis of the ZIMMER CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

2:30 – 2:45PM: Celebration of MATILDA THE MUSICAL, coming soon to the Ahmanson Theatre as part of the 2014-15 season presented by Center Theatre Group, featuring a reading by Kate Burton and performance by The Colburn Children’s Choir.

3PM – 4PM: Performances by RENAISSANCE FAIRE Storytellers

MAIN STAGE:

12:30PM – 1PM: POET LAUREATE LUIS J. RODRIGUEZ / YOUTH POET LAUREATE AMANDA GORMAN

1:15PM – 2:45PM: POST-ENGLISH LITERATURE of LA (readings in other languages by LA-based authors). HOSTED BY DAVID SHOOK / NEIL AITKEN (Mandarin) / MICHAEL CASPER (Yiddish) / ROBERT CASTILLO (Spanish) / PIOTR FLORZCYK (Polish) / HILARY KAPLAN (Portuguese) / NYSLA MARTINEZ (Spanish) / SAAD HOSSAIN (English) / ANTHONY SEIDMAN​ (French, Spanish)

3PM-4:30: PM YOUNG ADULT LIT READINGS: CECIL CASTELLUCCI (Stone in the Sky) / MARY MCCOY (Dead to Me) / GRETCHEN MCNEIL (Get Even) / SAAD HOSSAIN (English) / JULIANA ROMANO (First There Was Forever) / ELISSA SUSSMAN (Stray: Four Sisters) / 826LA AUTHORS from MENDEZ HIGH SCHOOL