One day event will feature speakers, authors and publishers

Sept. 21, 2022 — Welcome to the 11th annual Florence Festival of Books — a book fair for authors, publishers, and readers. At this festival, books are celebrated — real books with pages that you turn and, new this year, eBooks are also a part of the festival. Just call it a sign of the times.

Also new this year, all events are on the same day, Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Florence Events Center, 715 Quince St.

The festival takes place from 9 a.m. until nearly 6 p.m. An informative panel discussion starts things o from 9 to 10 a.m. in the theater. Then, the ever-popular book fair takes place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Then it’s back to the theater to see and hear Keynote Speaker William “Bill” Sullivan’s entertaining presentation beginning at 4:15 p.m.

Last year due to COVID, the event required masks. This year, people can wear one if they want to, but it’s not a requirement — unless the CDC requires it.

Last year, we had one third fewer tables, and we have continued with less tables to better allow social distancing. We received a lot of positive feedback from folks who liked being less crowded and having more space.

This year, we are proud to welcome a number of authors who have never participated in the Festival of Books before, as well as those who’ve participated previously. Altogether, approximately 60 authors are participating — whose writing covers a variety of genres. And a few publishers — ready to talk about their writers’ books and to listen to wannabe authors pitch their ideas.

The Book Fair is your opportunity to meet and speak with these authors and publishers. Each book you purchase can be signed and personalized. And it’s a known fact that books make great gifts!

All Festival events are free and take place at the Florence Events Center. Come and help us celebrate the 11th year of this popular event.

A special thank you to our sponsors for making this year’s event possible. The Festival is presented by the Florence Festival of Books Planning Committee under the auspices of Florence Arts, Culture & Entertainment (FACE).

For more information, visit http://www.florencefestivalofbooks.org