That’s a wrap! Yet another successful Louisville Book Festival is in the history books!
You may have seen all the buzz on social media and even on this blog in October. That’s because Make A Way was the driving force behind the second annual Louisville Book Festival (LBF) that is held in Louisville KY every October.
Originally created to be an in-person event, the pandemic made this organization shift and pivot to an online event. But we did not let that slow us down one bit! Our 2021 event was the second year that we chose to go virtual because it was the responsible thing to do. As we were planning the 2021 festival, KY was considered a hotspot for the virus and was nearing 100% capacity for ICU beds.
But we made it work for a second time and are happy to say that our October 22 & 23rd event was even better this year!
The festival hosted close to 80 authors and presenters from all backgrounds, genres, and from all over the country.
Participants heard inspiring topics on the dream of writing, the business of writing, the craft of writing, the importance of diverse books (presented by our very own founder, Deedee Cummings), and many more topics that are the stuff a book lovers dreams are made of.
Free to the public, the event began on October 22nd via Zoom with notable authors like Gwenda Bond. Gwenda is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. Another crowd favorite was children’s book author, Tonya Duncan Ellis and her Sophie Washington chapter book series.
Check out all of the amazing authors and presenters who shared their books and wisdom with fans and book lovers HERE.
We are already planning the 2022 LBF and this one will be planned as an in-person event that will be held in downtown Louisville, KY on Friday, October 28th and 29th 2022.
“I also loved the way the authors supported each other and became each other’s fans, which was amazing to see,” Deedee shared. “I can’t imagine what the in-person connection will be like next year as we continue to share our love of books and reading with the Louisville community and beyond.”
About LBF
The Louisville Book Festival is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization founded in 2018 to celebrate and promote the love and the benefits of reading, writing, and literacy. We believe that literacy is a fundamental human right and that there is power and purpose in bringing books to life every day of the year. We celebrate books and use them to highlight and grow the resilient culture of our vibrant city, as well as to encourage and elevate our creative thinking as a community.
This 501(c) (3) non-profit online celebration is also a proud supporter of It Pays To Read; an initiative that helps young readers celebrate and promote the love and the benefits of reading, writing, and literacy.
“We believe that literacy is a fundamental human right and that there is power and purpose in bringing books to life every day of the year,” Deedee shared. “We celebrate books and use them to highlight and grow the resilient culture of our vibrant city, as well as to encourage and elevate our creative thinking as a community.”
Through her publishing house Make A Way Media, Deedee has also committed to donating 10% of all book sales to It Pays to Read and the Louisville Book Festival. These programs pay children to read, highlight the importance of literacy every day of the year, and donate hundreds of books each year to churches, schools, children, and families in need.
“As a family therapist, I visit homes that have no books for the children to read. Zero. The homes that do have kids’ books rarely include ones with powerful messages and characters who look like them. Simply put, reading changes lives. Children of all colors and backgrounds need to read and see stories with characters of all colors and backgrounds. Diverse books are for ALL kids.”
To learn more about the Louisville Book Festival, visit their website.