VABook! Attendance Tops 20,000

Attendance on a High Plateau for Fourth Consecutive Year

(Charlottesville, VA…May 10) The thirteenth annual Virginia Festival of the Book came to Charlottesville March 21-25 attracting 20,310 attendees to more than 200 events for youth and adults. Crowds turned out magnificently for their favorite authors—including audiences nearing 500 for both luncheon speaker Doug Marlette and journalist Helen Thomas, and over 200 for the writers of HBO’s The Wire.

Festival attendance has topped 20,000 for four consecutive years. “The high average attendance at adult programs, 92, indicates a continuing interest in a wide range of book programming,” said Festival Program Director, Nancy Damon. The festival featured special programming on the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the environment, immigration, and other current affairs issues, amid the contemporary poetry and fiction readings which are an annual highlight.

The Festival also kicked off a month-long series of programs on The Great Gatsby in libraries and schools as part of a statewide reading campaign, “The Big Read,” sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Another reason for celebration is that the newly revamped website is giving the Festival a longer “shelf-life.” More Festival audio and video than ever were collected in 2007. With author interviews appearing on C-SPAN 2’s Book TV, programs appearing on local access and public television, and audio segments available as podcasts for download via vabook.org and other websites—access to Festival authors and programs continues long after the event has passed.

The fourteenth annual Virginia Festival of the Book, produced by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, is March 26-30, 2008. Online now through October 1 are guidelines for authors and organizations interested in participating. The Festival also invites from the public suggestions for authors and programs.

As in the past, most programs will be offered in free-and-open-to-the-public venues throughout Charlottesville. Visit vabook.org for more information. 

 

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