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6 things to enjoy at the Southern Festival of Books — even if you're not a big reader

Mary Hance
The Tennessean
The 2018 Southern Festival of Books is Oct. 12-14 at War Memorial Plaza and the downtown Nashville Public Library.

For 29 years, the Southern Festival of Books has brought hundreds of authors to town for lectures, readings, panel discussions and book signings.

This year's festival is promises one to be one of the biggest yet, with 270 authors including big names like Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer; Pulitzer Prize-winning author/journalist Rick Bragg; Old Crow Medicine Show founder Ketch Secor; Tayari Jones, author "An American Marriage"; and Celeste Ng, author of "Everything I Never Told You" and "Little Fires Everywhere."

Hearing and meeting the authors is what the festival is all about, but organizers have expanded the focus over the years to include activities for children, an assortment of live music, some culinary experiences and a bit of shopping, too.

The free festival is this weekend in downtown Nashville and there is plenty to enjoy, even if you are not a certified bookworm. 

Children's activities

All three days will have "Harry Potter"-themed arts and crafts activities coordinated by the Watkins College of Art.

There will be lots of family oriented programming on the Children's Stage on War Memorial Plaza: On Friday, the Ukedelics will play at noon; and there will be a Silly Grandpa: Songs, Stories & Serious Silliness performance at 3 p.m.

On Saturday, Bill Crosby and the Bahama Llama Orchestra will perform at 11 a.m. and there is a 20th birthday party for Harry Potter at 3 p.m., complete with cupcakes. Children are encouraged to dress like their favorite Harry Potter character.

Sunday's programming will start at noon, with the "Lackland Theatre: Improvise with Me," which is described as an interactive session from a children’s improv acting studio; and there is a 3 p.m. "Bob Shea Makes Books" program, where author/illustrator Shea will draw on an easel, while discussing his book "Crash, Splash or Moo."

Live Music

There is also live music scattered through the three day festival with Les Kerr & the Bayou Band playing at noon Saturday; and Grant Maloy Smith with special guest EmiSunshine on stage at 2 p.m Sunday.  Also on the music agenda are: Eve Maret, WXNA DJs and Artists, including Peachy, Sweet Lizzy Project and Pearl-Cohn Students; and Jon Byrd & Byrd’s Auto Parts.

Performing arts

This Performing Arts Stage offers selected readings from the Nashville School of the Arts Conservatory, Spoken Word Poetry, Nashville Poets and Southern Word performing poetry.

Other highlights include: Third Coast Comedy's improv show at 4 p.m. Saturday; Sankofa African Drum & Dance Company performing its rhythm, folklore and dance at 2 p.m. Sunday; and the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's "Bard in the Round" at 3 p.m. Sunday.

If you like food...

Not only will assorted food trucks be lined up on the site all three days — including Bolton's Spicy Chicken and Fish, The Kebob Bus, Cousins Maine Lobster and King of Pops — there are cookbook authors who will entertain audiences with food stories.

Notably, Pulitzer Prize-winner Rick Bragg will be talking about his new book "The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma's Table" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Local author Anne Byrn (of  "Cake Mix Doctor" fame) will be on stage with her new "American Cookie: The Snaps, Drops, Jumbles, Tea Cakes, Bars and Brownies That We Have Loved for Generations" cookbook and its interesting stories, at noon Sunday. And Byrn will have samples of her cookies for you to try too!

"American Cookie" author Anne Byrn will have samples of her cookies at her talk at the book fest.

... and drink

There is a "Wake up and Smell the Whiskey ... and Scotch: New Guides" presentation at 3 p.m. Friday, featuring Charlotte Observer food editor Kathleen Purvis ("Distilling the South: A guide to Southern Craft Liquors and the People Who Make Them") and New York Times editor and Nashville native Clay Risen ("Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland: Includes Profiles, Ratings, and Tasting Notes for More than 330 Expressions"). Sorry, no tastings with these! 

Shop for books and more

With 44 vendors set up on the plaza as part of the festival, there are some shopping opportunities.

This year marks Watkins College of Art's ninth annual Handmade & Bound Festival, which will offer craft sales, hands-on demonstrations and a community art project.

The Southern Festival headquarters tent will have festival merchandise and there will plenty of chances to buy brand new books by the participating authors at the Parnassus tent. There will also be some great used book sale tents and the Friends of the Nashville Public Library used book sale (most books $2 or less) throughout the weekend in the lobby of the Main Library at 615 Church St. 

Enjoy the festival and stay cheap! 

Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282 or mscheap@tennessean.com. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/mscheap, and at Tennessean.com/mscheap, and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5’s “Talk of the Town.”

If you go

What: The 30th annual Southern Festival of Books

When: Oct. 12-14

Where: War Memorial Plaza and the downtown Nashville Public Library

Details: The free festival features author talks, readings, panels, signings, children's story times and new and used book sales. The roster includes Rick Bragg, Ben Fountain, Craig Johnson, Tayari Jones, Lorrie Moore, Celeste Ng, Deborah Plant, Luis Alberto Urrea, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Jacqueline Woodson. The festival annually attracts 25,000 attendees. More information is at humanitiestennessee.org.
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