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Southwest Florida Reading Festival to mark 25th year

By LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM 3 min read
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Celebrate reading and libraries at the Lee County Library System’s free Southwest Florida Reading Festival on March 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fort Myers Regional Library campus in Fort Myers.

Marking its 25th anniversary, the outdoor event will feature 28 bestselling authors.

For more than two decades, the festival has hosted hundreds of authors, like David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton and Debbie Macomber and youth writers Meg Cabot, Jeff Kinney, Lois Lowery, R.L. Stine and Rosemary Wells. The first one was held in Centennial Park and featured author and journalist Carl Hiaasen as the keynote speaker.

“Meeting the authors and getting to hear the inspiration behind their stories is one of my favorite parts of the day. There’s always something new and exciting to experience,” system Director Mindi Simon said, adding that she has seen firsthand how the event can ignite a passion for reading and appreciation of libraries as fans discover new authors and library resources. “Connecting readers of all ages with a new favorite author is a key aspect of the festival.”

This year’s event will feature a lineup of authors who will discuss and sign their books throughout the day. From fiction to non-fiction, thrillers to rom-coms, all ages will find a favorite among the adult, youth and teen writers. Several presentations will be livestreamed and available to view on the library’s YouTube channel through the end of March.

Families with young children will enjoy a day with storytime sessions, the Little Readers Zone, crafts and stilt-walking balloon artist Too Tall Torrie. Designed for toddlers and preschool-aged youths, the Little Readers Zone is a place for discovery and learning, filled with STEM activities, carnival games and demonstrations of early learning resources. Every child and teen will receive a free book.

Highlighted authors at the festival will include New York Times bestseller Sara Penner of “The Lost Apothecary,” 2005 featured and returning author Lisa Unger, and author and illustrator Dan Yaccarino, best known for his creation of the kids favorite “The Backyardigans,” along with masters of suspense Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Matthew Quirk and Charles Todd. Sports fans will be excited for Joe Posnanski, sportswriter and author of “Why We Love Baseball.” Attendees should also keep an eye out for frequent presenter and fan-favorite Mary Kay Andrews.

Beyond author presentations, the event gives attendees the chance to learn more about the library and its free digital resources, visit with sponsors and enjoy food trucks. Book fans can choose to support the festival by purchasing tickets for the “Name a Character” raffle, in which winners can be named in an author’s next book. Anniversary T-shirts, festival hats, tote bags and beach towels will be for purchase.

For more information, visit Readfest.org.

The Fort Myers Regional Library is at 2450 First St., Fort Myers.