Literary Festivals Boom!
While searching for events to add to our Eventful World calendar, I came across this article entitled “A Nation Brought To Book: The literary festivals boom” by Cahal Milmo and Rob Sharp. In it the authors state:
“Literary festivals used to be humble gatherings of authors and fans. But now they are undergoing a boom, with new events opening and everyone from politicians to pop stars getting in on the act.
“Gordon Brown believes they are a sign of a new seriousness in Britain. Publishers believe they raise their writers’ profiles in a notoriously overcrowded market. And, most importantly, readers flock to them in ever-growing numbers with inquiring minds and open wallets.
“The literary festival scene is undergoing a boom akin to that in the music industry, with new events mushrooming around the country to compete with venerable annual showcases like Hay-on-Wye, Oxford and Cheltenham…Mr Browne said: “You might begin to ask whether the market is there to sustain so many literary events. I think as long as they are well organized and professional the demand is there.” ”
We at PaperTigers couldn’t agree more! The more literary events the better – especially those that feature events for children and young adults. What better way to turn children and young adults onto reading then by taking them to a literary festival? Big or small, it’s not the size of the event that matters but the excitement for reading that it generates.
I would love to know if any of our readers have attended NAMBOOK-007 The Nami Island International Children’s Book Festival. This annual, two-month festival takes place in Korea and will end on July 1, 2007. When I told my two children (ages 6 and 10) about Nambook-007 they were ready to catch the next flight to Korea. My son commented “it sounds like Disneyland for book lovers!”
There are lots of literary events happening throughout the summer, so check our calendar and see what catches your eye. Many of the festivals are held outside during summer months and have activities that will appeal to all ages. We always welcome your feedback, so let us know what the literary festival scene is like in your city. Do you have any events that are geared specifically towards children and their families? What festivals have you attended? Will you be attending something exciting this summer that we should all know about?
