It's book festival week in Charlottesville!

The Virginia bluebells on this year's festival logo (for Virginia's 400th anniversary) are popping up in libraries, bookstores, and various venues around town. Pick up a printed program and see what's coming Wednesday through Sunday.

Below are a few audio-visual features for fans of all things hip, happening, jazzy, and noir. Updates, special promotions, and more.

What's Hip at the Festival? Audio-Visual Features

Hipness is an elusive quality. Below are links for more info about some of the cool characters coming to the Virginia Festival of the Book, with audio and visual features available on the web:

"Paul Curreri CD Release Party" 3/23 7PM Gravity Lounge. Find video on this site of Curreri performing.

"Interrogations: A Poetry Reading" 3/23 8PM UVa Bookstore Poet Kevin Young ... "just plain cool" says former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins

"Sex, Lies, and Violence" 3/24 4PM Omni Hotel Explore Barry Eisler's noir character Jack Rain

"Jews, Jive, and Jazz" 3/25 3PM Central Library Is Bugs Bunny hip? John Leland tackles hip culture's origins.

Podcasting is with it, right? A festival overview that aired Sunday on WNRN with festival organizers, moderator Rick Turner, and participant Jon Lohman.

Updates, Cancellations, and Corrections

The festival website is the best way to stay in touch about festival changes. A bulletin will appear in red for programs in which there's been a venue change or cancellation when we have advance notice; updates will flow into every part of the site where that information appears (including "My Book Bag" accounts).

The following participants are unable to attend, but the event will go on:
-Marsha Mehran ("Displaced Persons" WILL CONTINUE Fri. March 23rd, 6:00 PM)

The following events have recently had venue changes:

-"Sagas of Jamestown: Lives and Times Reimagined"
NOW AT OMNI, Preston Room, Thu. March 22nd, 2:00 PM

-"Graphic Nonfiction: Brave New Genre"
NOW AT OMNI HOTEL, Preston Room, Fri. March 23rd, 4:00 PM

The following event has been cancelled
-Odetta Thu. March 22nd, 7:00 PM

Special Promotions: Ride Any CTS Bus for Free

Some Charlottesville Merchants are offering special promotions during the Festival of the Book, March 21-25. Discounts require that you be wearing a 2007 Festival of the Book sticker. This sticker can be obtained from a Festival volunteer at the information table in the lobby of the Omni Hotel downtown, or during programs at the Central Library, at City Council Chambers, at the UVa Bookstore, or at Barnes & Noble.

Four deals:

Charlottesville Transit Service
Free rides on all CTS bus routes for Festival attendees with their stickers. Please note that CTS does not have Sunday service, so this will only be available March 21-24.

Rebecca's Natural Food
20% discount off any single item in the store limit one discount per person per day.

The Virginia Shop Gift
25% discount on any book or can of Virginia Peanuts in the store

Chaps
Buy one item, get the second (of equal or lesser value) half off.

More promotions from local merchants online:
http://www.vabook.org/site07/about/promotion.html

My Book Bag: New Features

One new website feature just got even better. Not only can you select programs you want to see in a personalized itinerary, now you can see (collectively and anonymously) what programs other "My Book Bag" users are choosing to get recommendations for other events you might like to attend.

Or maybe you'd like to share your list with a friend or family member? Now you can do that too.

Log in sometime and pack a festival Book Bag! The "My Book Bag" feature is easy to enable; just log in with your email and password here:
http://www.vabook.org/login.php

And, if you are a using "My Book Bag" already, spread the word. As more people use the function, more information becomes available to improve its utility.

Join our email list to stay informed about developments and events

Our Sponsors:

Virginia Festival of the Book is a program of the
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
145 Ednam Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22903
phone: (434)924-6890 | fax: (434) 296-4714 | vabook@virginia.edu