If you’re looking for a break from a long week of studying for finals, take a small daycation at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend.
Taking place at USC on April 22 and 23, the festival will feature the L.A. Times Book Club and will host a variety of events in different stages, including the L.A. Times Main Stage, Children’s Stage, L.A. Times en Español Stage, and Poetry Stage. The event will also have live music and food trucks. As well, the event will be attended by several celebrity memoirists, including Matthew Perry, Meghan Trainor and Jennifer Garner.
The largest literary event in the country, the festival was hosted by UCLA until 2011, when USC took over the reins. Since then, the festival has only increased in popularity and attendance, according to Kheon Ellis, a sales manager at the L.A. Times.
“It feels like the turnout is [now] a lot better because it’s in a general downtown area,” Ellis said.
Despite the celebrities that will be in attendance, the festival it’s more than just a fun event for attendees, but is also a way to connect with the community.
“What makes the festival so important and unique is the community that it builds and the relationships that it develops,” said Monica Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in quantitative biology at USC who’s attended every year since she was in third grade.
Rodriguez shared how Rachel Renée Russell, author of the Dork Diaries series, was the catalyst for her meeting her best friend in fifth grade due to their shared love of the series. Rodriguez would later meet Russell at the Festival.
“I remember I was the first person in line for the Dork Diaries signing booth,” Rodriguez said. “I told [the author] about me and my best friend from elementary school, and then she ended up giving me a signed poster for free.”
Festival-goers this year can check out a variety of events as Rodriguez did. Whether you want to hear about reporting on Silicon Valley, see Jamele Hill talk about her new book, or watch a dance performance by UniverSOUL Hip Hop, there is something for everyone.
And, in the age of technology and immediate information, events like this one may just be what the world needs.
“Right now everything is digital. There’s not really a lot of reading books and things like that so I think that it’s really good to have a festival where it’s dedicated to literature, books and different things,” Ellis said.
Not to mention the sheer power that a simple book can hold.
“(Getting) exposed to new ideas … is something that literature and books just offer that sometimes you can’t learn in the classroom,” said Kyle Tien, a junior studying real-estate development.
Although some indoor events and panels will cost money, anywhere from $5 to $200 for an all-access pass, general admission to the festival is free of charge.
USC’s campus will be covered with hundreds of white tents and a variety of stages where patrons can buy a book that catches their eye, dive into a niche interest or just enjoy the buzzing atmosphere around them.
“You meet so many people from USC, you meet authors who came from across the country, and it’s just that kind of community,” Rodriguez said. “That kind of interaction is what makes the Festival of Books.”
Check out the L.A. Times’ official website to make sure you don’t miss your favorite author this weekend.