Grand Park Downtown BookFest – Saturday, 3/29

We are here! The 2nd Annual Grand Park Downtown BookFest has finally arrived. This Saturday, March 29th, between noon and 5pm, we will be celebrating another beautiful day in LA (Yes, it’s going to be a beautiful day. Doing beautiful weather dance right now…), and more importantly, we will be celebrating the literary heart of our city: the vast array of writers and publishers that call Los Angeles their home.

Please take a look at the line-up below and you will realize how silly it would be to miss this event. Very silly. See you there!

1239102_650221685024553_977853682_o

NOON: BIRDIE’S PLAYHOUSE

Music with a Latin twist that gets kids to shake their tail feathers!

1PM: STORY PIRATES

A one-of-a-kind sketch comedy musical based entirely on stories by children, including those written by Grand Park kids.

2PM: YA AUTHORS & YOUNG ADULT WRITERS

Four respected YA authors share the stage with young adult writers from 826LA and Get Lit!

Cecil Castellucci
Lissa Price
Sherri L. Smith
Sonya Sone

with

826LA (Ivette Paz, Ivan Paz, and Alfonso Santos)
Get Lit! (names to be announced)

3PM: READ BEATS

Four writers reading LA-centric works as a jazz trio improvises to their work.

Steve Abee
Gia Scott-Heron
Billy Burgos
Jessica Ceballos

with

Emile Porée on guitar
Aaron McLendon on drums
&
Isaias Elpes on bass

4PM: LAMENT IN THE NIGHT

A crime/mystery/noir writers of color set inspired by the groundbreaking LA novella, Lament in the Night, originally published in the 1920s in LA’s own Little Tokyo.

Naomi Hirahara
Desiree Zamarano
Rachel Howzell Hall
Steph Cha
Gary Phillips
Ruben Rodriguez

Througout the day:

Poesia Para la Gente

A traveling group of poets who have been popping up and engaging with the public in the most unexpected places—grocery store, a day labor area at Home Depot, subway trains—sharing original poems. They will be spread out all over the park, writing poetry on demand using unique materials. The poets are:

Vickie Vertiz, Kenji Liu, Jessica Wilson Cardenas, Juan Cardenas, Yago S. Cura, Brandon Brown, Peggy Dobreer, Iris De Anda, Wendy C. Ortiz, Billy Burgos, Khadija Anderson, Dane Baylis, Amanda Yates Garcia, Gloria Enedina Alvarez, Victor Avila, Bill Friday, Nikita Egar, Rebecca Gonzales, Corrie Greathouse, Xitlalic Guijosa-Osuna, June Kim, Mia Kim, Karineh Mahdessian, Crystal “Little Bird” Salas, Fernando Salinas, Elena Secota, Matt Sedillo, Kelly Grace Thomas, Daniel Austin Warren, Conney Williams, Steve Abee, Jessica Ceballos

PUBLISH!: YOU CAN TOO

The underground writing/publishing project that Writ Large Press has been traveling all over the country! There will be typewriters. Materials. Book designers (Yumi!). All ready for you to come out and write, edit, publish, and launch your very own book!

DT•LAB

The pop-up shop featuring some of the best of LA publishers.

Les Figues Press
What Books
Kaya Press
Writ Large Press
Gatsby Books
Seite Books
Razorcake/Gorsky Books
Zero+ Publishing
Bank Heavy Press
Red Hen Press
RE)VERB
ANTENNA
DUM DUM Zine
ZOCHI
Tía Chucha Press
Siglio Press
Rare Bird Lit
Bombshelter Press
The Rattling Wall
Spout Hill Press
Orange Monkey
Boss Fight Books
Electric Travel Books
RCC MUSE
Seismicity Books
ICI Press
Giant Robot
Brooklyn & Boyle
LA Electric Travel

There will also be booths from LA Zine Fest, CAAM, Red Hen Press, Shakespeare Center LA, LA Public Library, and MORE!

SEE YOU ALL THERE!

Featured image from Brian Wonders, an illustrated book by DTLA writer/artist Victor Robert. Book will be available at the BookFest!

What are you looking for?