Jax Book Fest is a big, bold celebration of authors, authorship, and the written word—held annually at the Main Library in Downtown Jacksonville. This year, Jax Book Fest is being held over two Saturdays in September. The first will focus on workshops for local writers, Writers' Day. On the second Saturday, we'll be devoted to young readers and connecting them with books they'll love.
Jax Book Fest: Youth Readers' Day runs from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 20. The event and all programs are free to attend.
# Jax Book Fest: Featured Authors
This isn't just any old book event. We're bringing in some serious star power:
Mac Barnett is the current U.S. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and a New York Times bestselling author. You might know him from The First Cat in Space graphic novel series, the Now I See series, the Mac B. Kid Spy series, or the Terrible Two series. He'll be doing a Junior Lit Chat where you can actually ask him questions and maybe find out where he gets his wild ideas.
Teen readers, this one's for you. Shannon Messenger is the mastermind behind the Keeper of the Lost Cities series and the Sky Fall books. If you're into fantasy, adventure, and characters who feel real even in magical worlds, you need to check out her Teen Lit Chat.
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# Even More for You
While the big-name authors are definitely exciting, Youth Readers' Day has so much more packed in:
- 60+ local authors of kids and teen books. You might discover your new favorite series from someone right here in Jacksonville.
- The River City Readers Bookmobile , because books on wheels are automatically cool.
- Face painters and balloon artists, for when you need a break from all the literary excitement.
- Book signings, get your copies personalized by the authors themselves.
- Cost: Free! (But you'll want to pre-register for those Lit Chat programs since space is limited, and you'll need a library card for that.)
- Parking: There's a $5 fee at the Duval Street Parking Garage (cash preferred), but street parking downtown is free on Saturdays.
Happy Medium Books Café will be selling books too, so you can snag copies of everything that catches your eye.
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# Don't Miss Out
Events like Youth Readers' Day remind us that books are still magic. There's something special about holding a physical book, meeting the person who created the stories you love, and being surrounded by other people who get just as excited about plot twists as you do.
Whether you're 8 or 80 (or somewhere in between), Youth Readers' Day is the kind of event that could introduce you to your next favorite book or maybe even inspire you to write your own. Plus, where else can you meet a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and get your face painted in the same afternoon?
Mark your calendars for September 20th, grab your parents or friends, and get ready for a day that celebrates everything awesome about being a young reader in Jacksonville.
See you at the library!
