JACKSON, Miss.- The Capitol City is buzzing as preparation for the second annual Mississippi Book Festival comes to a close, with the event kicking off on Saturday, August 20th at the capitol.
The event will host nearly 70 author exhibitors and over 120 panel authors. There will be food vendors, children’s activities, independent book sellers, and a wide range of other activities for the day. Panel discussions will range on topics from Comics and Cartoons to Mississippi history.
The Mississippi Book Festival began in 2012 with the idea to promote literature and literacy in Mississippi.
“Mississippi produces wonderful writers,” said panel moderator Sarah Francis Hardy. “You know when I look back and think about my most favorite books most of them are books I read when I was a kid.”
Pre-event festivities kick off on Friday with Kate DiCamilla doing a special reading to 700 Jackson Public school students at Galloway Methodist Church in Jackson. However, the official festival won’t begin until Saturday morning.
The authors attending come from all over the U.S. and many have their own ties to the Magnolia state. Panels will last around an hour and authors will be doing book signings on the lawn of the capitol.
“Books and writers, and writing are still so important to people in Mississippi today,” said panelist Brad Watson.
The Festival will go on rain or shine. In the event of serious storms everything will be moved inside of the Capitol building.
For more information about the Mississippi Book Festival please visit their website.
