Book festivals have been around since 1485 when Frankfurt, Germany held its first trade fair. The printing press was active, and European booksellers began to come to Frankfurt to promote their books. Now, 540 years later, the Frankfurter Buchmesse welcomed 115,000 visitors from 153 countries, 4,300 exhibitors, with 7,500 media representatives covering 3,300 events during the five-day fair. 

I haven’t attended the Frankfurt Fair, but I did participate in the Conyers Book Festival April 19. Some 54 authors brought their books and set up canopies with banners, plants, and giveaway candies, alongside vendors scattered throughout the parking lots surrounding the Book Cellar’s mint green building trimmed in lime green. 

I spent the day in the sun with my friend Camryn and then Kathie. Nestled close together in the parking lot, we made friends with our neighbors, Leslie on my right and Joi on my left. As people sauntered by, some would come closer and listen to my elevator speech, some would stay far enough away that they could not be enticed to come closer. I would wave and most would wave back. There was plenty to see with folks decked out in fashionable summer wear. It was hot, I have a sunburn on my right arm to prove it. I had great fun getting people to sign up for my newsletter by filling out a raffle ticket for the Irish Spring Basket: both books, Mrs. Schultz’s Boarding House Cookbook, Irish Breakfast tea, shortbread cookies, chocolate from Dublin, and Shepherd’s Pie gravy mix, along with two spring tea towels. 

The book festival founder and her extensive crew of volunteers did a wonderful job of preparing us, the authors, for what to expect and locating everything for us. There were 2 or 3 zoom meetings, emails, maps, lists of things we should think to bring, and helpful hints (have some giveaways). Children were given prepared sheets of paper with easter eggs that they could use to go through the tents and gather candy and trinkets. A big, decorated paper egg would be on the front of a tent. Then, at the entrance to the parking lot (a way to get folks to go the entire route and to block the entrance), several tables with 4 or 5 volunteers in the trademark green shirts gave away free books. 

I had many talks with readers, want-a-be writers, beginning writers, and authors. There were also workshops and readings going on during the day with chosen authors, but I was busy talking about “Spancil Hill” and “The Darkest Midnight in December” so I missed all of those. Book fairs are all about celebrating literature and culture and have a significant role in promoting literacy. I sold some books, crafted my elevator speeches, encouraged people to ask about my books, and though totally exhausted at the end of the day, felt good that I had gone out of my confort zone and did a book festival. I learned a lot about books, readers, festivals, all day events, and about myself.