LitFest Pasadena May 12

The Pasadena area's first community-wide book festival-LitFest Pasadena-will be
held Mother's Day weekend, Saturday, May 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Central Park (275 S. Raymond Avenue). Admission is free.

Although rain forced the postponement of the event, originally scheduled for March, all that was previously in store-and more-will be offered: a celebratory day
of readings and panel discussions featuring well-known local and California authors, hands-on activities for young people, good food, better books, and great fun, all aimed at promoting the literary arts.

Attendees can look forward to an irreverent and informative festival that incorporates theater, music, poetry, and more. Some of L.A.'s hottest gourmet food trucks, courtesy of Chefs Center, will be located along Raymond Avenue, and public parking is under the Gold Line Del Mar Station directly across the street from Central Park, a comfortable green space between Raymond and Fair Oaks Avenues just south of the historic Castle Green.

Panel discussions will explore topics such as 21st Century Noir; The Rise of the Graphic Novel; Local L. A. Publishers: Where New York Dominates, L.A. Innovates; The L.A. Canvas; and History, Fiction...Truth?

Confirmed authors include Pulitzer Prize-winners Jonathan Gold and Daniel Howe; novelists Mona Simpson, Michelle Huneven, David Ebershoff, and Lian Dolan; poet and Young Adult author Ron Koertge; scholar and Libros Schmibros founder David Kipen; and L.A. mystery writer Denise Hamilton. More than 40 publishers and vendors will have books by these and other authors available for sale at the event.

A children's area will feature Vroman's storyteller Mr. Steve, Brit-Lit Steampunk
performed by actors from Foshay Learning Center, and a Quidditch demonstration!

LitFest Pasadena is spearheaded by Larry Wilson, public editor of the Pasadena Star-News; Jervey Tervalon, novelist and USC creative writing teacher; and Tom Coston, president of the Light Bringer Project and driving force behind the DooDah Parade. The event's working team includes leaders from local government; local independent publishers Red Hen Press and Prospect Park Media; and USC and Caltech.

LitFest Pasadena is a project of the Pasadena Arts Council's EMERGE Fiscal
Sponsorship Program. All support is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Light Bringer Project, the Pasadena Public Library, and the Pasadena Writing Project are also participating organizations.

www.litfestpasadena.org/