FoCo Book Fest to Host 33 authors and 38 Sessions
Many of us can point to a book or author that made a significant impact in our lives – how we think, how we navigate the world, the stories we love. It starts with that one special book. Now imagine an entire month dedicated to the love of reading! Imagine what you can discover at the Fort Collins Book Fest.
Join us throughout February for FoCo Book Fest, an all-ages event featuring in-person activities and virtual sessions. The full lineup of authors, schedule, and links to required registrations, is available on the event website, www.FoCoBookFest.org.
The festival includes author talks, writing workshops, kids and teen activities, reading, books signings, panel discussions, and other creative activities. All sessions are free to attend and open to the public.
Here are just a few highlights.
For the Love of Reading
We’ve got book clubs, author readings, panel discussions, and book signings lined up throughout the month featuring many amazing local and regional authors. Check out poet John Tipton (Believers and Seven Sermons from the Bacchae); thriller writers Carter Wilson (The New Neighbor) and Erika Wurth (White Horse); debut author Nazli Koca (The Applicant); and other bestselling storytellers from a variety of backgrounds and genres.
To further celebrate your love of reading, join your bookish friends and neighbors for events like Lit Trivia (Thursday, February 2 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Snowbank Brewing) and Book Bingo (Wednesday, February 15 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Mythmaker Brewery). It’s a fun chance to match wits with fellow book lovers and just connect over a shared love of reading.
Human Library: “Being Me in Fort Collins”
Typical libraries offer print books and digital eBooks for check out, but the Human Library® allows participants – or Readers – to borrow a human Book and engage in conversations about their unique stories, particularly their experiences in Fort Collins regarding their identity. The Human Library program creates a safe and non-judgmental environment for curious and often taboo conversations that will challenge prejudices and promote understanding of differences. Sunday, February 26 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. Registration is required.
Writing Workshops
Writing workshops are back with even more opportunities to hone your craft and learn from fellow writers. All writing workshops are free. Some workshops require registration.
The festival kicks off with the CSU Veteran’s Writing Group at Old Town Library on Wednesday, February 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. and continues Saturday, February 4 with a teen writing workshop on comics featuring author-cartoonist Will Betke-Brunswick.
Every Sunday in February, our partners at Northern Colorado Writers host popular workshops that focus on memoir, horror, how-to writing, and writing for Kindle Vella.
Family-Friendly Events
Building a love of reading can make all the difference in a child’s life. So be sure to mark your calendar for family-friendly events throughout the book festival including children’s author readings with Wanda Vásquez Garcia (From Across the Street / Del Otro Lado de la Calle) and Megan Levaque (Dance to the Moon).
For aspiring writers and illustrators, we have creative workshops scheduled – be sure to register to reserve a space for your child. Children’s illustrator Cathy Morrison hosts an Illustration Workshop on Monday, February 20 at Old Town Library. That’s followed by Be a Writer Workshop with Tara Dairman (The Girl from Earth’s End)for kids in grades 3-5. Later that day, Harmony Library hosts two Be a Bookmaker Workshops.
Teen Track
In addition to Betke-Brunswick’s writing workshop, teens can join the Teen Writers group or plan to attend an amazing YA Author Panel at Old Town Library. The panel takes place Sunday, February 19 from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. and features Ellen O’Clover (Seven Percent of Ro Devereux), JC Peterson (Lola at Last), Jessie Weaver, Leslie Vedder, and Olivia Chadha at Old Firehouse Books
And there’s much more! The full author lineup, schedule of sessions, and links to registrations is available at www.FoCoBookFest.org. See you there!
The event is presented by Poudre River Public Library District with support from local organizations and businesses including CSU Libraries, CSU Department of English, KUNC and the Colorado Sound, Front Range Community College, Old Firehouse Books, and many others.