The first ever True Lit festival is coming to the Fayetteville Public Library Sept. 5-8.
The event, created to “inspire all ages to embrace writing and reading, and to foster the appreciation of regional literature” will include four days of author talks, writing workshops, storytelling classes, music, and more.
The Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville Public Schools, Fayetteville Public Education Foundation, and the University of Arkansas and College of Education and Health Professions joined forces to create the festival.
“We were all conducting separate literary events throughout the year,” said Lolly Greenwood, director of youth services at Fayetteville Public Library, and one of the organizers of the event. “The idea of a literary festival helped create a synergy to bring them all together to ignite a love of literature.”
Award-winning children’s author Jack Gantos will headline the festival, with multiple appearances scheduled during the four-day event including a workshop for Arkansas teachers, a writing workshop for 4th graders, a lecture for high school sophomores, and an author talk for the general public. Gantos is the author of more than 40 books for children, including the Rotten Ralph series and the Joey Pigza novels. His most recent novel, Dead End in Norvelt, won the 2012 John Newbery Award and the Scott O’Dell award for Historical Fiction.
“We were excited at the opportunity to pool our resources in Fayetteville to bring Jack Gantos to our schools for multiple day workshops with our students,” said Holly Johnson, Marketing Director for Fayetteville Public Schools. “He was a terrific choice due to his broad appeal to all ages and his diverse portfolio of books for all ages.”
Other authors participating in the festival include Molly Giles, Bryan Borland, Carla McClafferty, Kevin Brockmeier, Janis Kearney, Anthony Priest, Kat Robinson, Barbara Youree, Anna Loan-Wilsey, Maaeve Maddox, and E.A. Allen.
The event will also include musical performances by local bands 3 Penny Acre and Calle Soul.
For more information and a full schedule of events visit truelitfest.com.
