BOOKFEST REPORT, PART I: As the Literature Program intern here at the Arts Council, I, Lindsey Grubbs, have been merrily and diligently performing every assignment that comes my way (as becomes someone with my youthful vigor). Most recently, my task has been compiling a report for the use of the Literary Conference Board, the members of which have begun planning for the 2006 Wyoming Book Fest, which will take place in Casper on August 10-12, 2006. I have been contacting people from book festivals around the country, including ones in California, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Arizona, and am now prepared to share a little taste of what I found out with you, the faithful wyolitmail reader.

The following is a list of the annual book festivals either researched or contacted and each one’s site, next date, web link, and approximate annual attendance (if available):
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (L.A.). April 29-30, 2006. Appx. 150,000 visitors.
Texas Book Festival (Austin). October 28-30, 2005. Appx. 65,000 visitors.
Virginia Festival of the Book (Charlottesville). March 22-26, 2006. 22,386 visitors.
Great Salt Lake Book Festival (SLC). Oct. 5-8, 2005. Appx. 15,000 visitors.
Arizona Book Festival (Phoenix). April 1, 2006. From 8,500-14,000 visitors.
Montana Festival of the Book (Missoula.). Sept. 22-24, 2005. Appx. 5,000 visitors.
Northern Arizona Book Festival (Flagstaff). Probably April. No attendance given.
Nebraska Book Festival (Lincoln). Oct. 7-8, 2005. No attendance given.
South Dakota Festival of Books (Deadwood). September 23-25, 2005. No attendance given.
South Carolina Book Festival (Columbia). Feb. 25-26, 2006. No attendance given.

Upcoming wyolitmail posts will provide further details from my report about these book festivals.

- posted by Michael Shay @ 11:16 AM