Northwest Bookfest 2012

Authors are now invited to visit our  new website and submit an application to attend The Northwest Bookfest 2012.  Visit us here. 

Dear Booklover:

Maybe it’s our gray cloud-cover. Perhaps it’s the Northwest lifestyle. Or, maybe it’s the creative climate of our region. For whatever reason and possibly more than anywhere else in the nation, Seattle continues to be a place of voracious readers and talented authors. In October of 2011, we launched an exciting revival of the regional book festival in the Northwest.

The 2012 Northwest Bookfest, to be held September 22 and 23, promises to feed the appetite of both readers and authors in grand style. This year’s theme – what else? – It’s Raining Books!

Months of planning by the volunteer Board of Director’s have gone into making this one of the largest two-day events held in the city of Kirkland. With generous support from the City of Kirkland, King County Library System, Kirkland Performance Center, Teen Center, Peter Kirk Community Center, and many businesses in the region, this family event draws thousands of booklovers to Peter Kirk Park and the surrounding buildings.

In 2011 nearly 100 authors of various genres drew over 3000 people to Bookfest for over 50 author panels, 63 writing workshops and a dozen family-oriented performances. Bookfest offers something for everyone, no matter their age. The youngest festival attendees will be entertained by musicians, puppets and storytellers in a special Children’s Area and have the opportunity to meet talented children’s authors.

The Kirkland Teen Center will host author panels, writing workshops and presentations by a lively group of young adult (YA) authors.

Two days of educational workshops for writers and publishers will be managed by Book Publishers Northwest and the Whidbey Island Writers Conference.

In excess of 100 exhibitors, plus a dozen food vendors, will cluster at Peter Kirk Park. In addition, Kirkland wine shops and retailers are planning a progressive wine party on Saturday evening. Wine and Words will host a celebrity guest author in each participating shop for visits with patrons.

Kirkland’s Park Place Books will act as the anchor bookstore supplying the books of celebrity authors/exhibitors for the book-signing events.

Book clubs, organizations such as Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, Women’s National Book Association, Seattle Free Lancers, Hugo House, Christian Writers Association, librarians, educators, parents and students – all will discover the 2012 Northwest Bookfest to be an entertaining and information-packed event.

We have opportunities for authors to participate on moderated panels, lead discussions and teach writing workshops. We have access to five buildings, including a 400 seat theater, a Teen Center with a stage and a community center.

The mission of Northwest Bookfest is tobring  readers, writers, publishers, authors and booklovers together through workshops, panels,  classes and  readings  held during a two-day festival celebrationin the Puget Sound region.Bookfestencouragespeople of all ages to interact through art diversity, and to cultivate a lifelong love of literature through adult, young adult and children's programs designed to promote literacy. This festival also celebrates local reading, writing andauthorshipbyincreasingcommunityawareness of literaryart events and offerings.

For more information and to submit a proposal to speak at Northwest Bookfest please visit our website.