Today on Jonesy, we preview the upcoming Portland Book Festival with Amanda Bullock, Director of Public Programs at Literary Arts. The festival, which started out in 2005, has become an annual tradition here in Portland. And our preview with Amanda has become an annual tradition here on our show.
It's always a delight to talk with Amanda, and a literary miracle how she organizes this huge and complex event every year. She brings in some of the most celebrated authors in the Pacific Northwest, and the rest of the world for that matter, and a host of up-and-coming authors. Together, they represent a wide variety of genres -- fiction, non-fiction, poetry, graphic novels, young adult, and children’s literature. There's truly something for readers of all ages and tastes.
The festival is usually a one-day in-person event. Last year, due to the pandemic, it took place as an all-virtual event spread over two weeks. All the sessions were livestreamed, and recorded for on-demand listening. This year, the festival takes a hybrid approach with virtual programming the week of November 8th through the 12th, and a one-day in-person event on Saturday, November 13th.
Tune in for the low-down on the authors, sessions, writing workshops, book fair, food carts, and the Portland debut of the "World's Most Unusual Vending Machine"!
- KBOO