The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many literary festivals to be cancelled this year. But this unfortunate circumstance have brought a new opportunity to bring the book community together during this crisis. That is why a lot of convention -old and new-have decided to mover their festivals online. These virtual festivals will have virtual Q&A’s, signed books and giveaways, things that you would expect if you were attending your favorite convention in person! Make sure to sign up and attend these awesome events!
Hay Festival Digital brings writers and readers together online, running May 22-31. The program consist of free live broadcasts and interactive Q&A’s from over 100 of the world’s greatest writers and thinkers, sharing their insights on important topics of our time, ranging from the COVID-19 and world health to the climate crisis. There will also be a 5-day Hay Festival Programme for Schools will broadcast on May 18-22. This is aimed at inspiring creative reading and has been developed for children to access with their parents.
The Big Book Weekend is a three-day virtual book festival that brings together the best of the cancelled British literary festivals, with a range of events ‘presented’ by the relevant festival, featuring the authors and other artists that would have appeared.
It has been co-founded by the authors Kit de Waal and Molly Flatt, is supported by the BBC and Arts Council England, and will take place on the online book festival site MyVLF.
Chawton House’s Lockdown Literary Festival provides three days of literary heaven, combination of talks, discussions and workshops, broadcast directly to your home. Some list of speakers include: Joanna Trollope, Hilary Davidson, Gill Hornby, Natalie Jenner and many more. The festival takes place on Friday, May 15-Sunday, May 17.
BookExpo moves to virtual with BookExpo Online, where there will be free education sessions, such as the Author Breakfasts and Buzz Books. This virtual event features uthors, experts and peers sharing their great work and ideas, and more. It will broadcast on their Facebook Page from May 26-29.
BookConline will take place on May 30 & 31. It is a virtual event where it will feature sessions throughout each day with different authors and publishers giving you a front row look at debut books. Plus, they’ll be ARC giveaways, quizzes, trivia and more. All events will take place on their Facebook Page.
The Bronx Book Festival, which is coordinated by The Bronx Is Reading organization, will be online this year, taking place on Saturday, June 6. Programming is free but they are asking for you to RSVP. You can view the full lineup here.
I’m saving these so I can check some of them out later! They look amazing!