Ohio’s book lovers will rally in downtown Columbus on Saturday, April 25 for a festival featuring more than 100 Ohio authors with book signings, kids’ activities, and more. The Ohioana Book Festival is in its ninth year of bringing together the state’s literary crowd, and this year will be their largest gathering to date.
Throughout the day, thirty panel discussions featuring Ohio authors will cover the gamut of literary genres—paranormal and fantasy to biography and narrative nonfiction. Meet one-on-one with authors at the book fair, such as Michelle Houts, an Ohio State University alumna and author of Kammie on First, a young adult biography of the baseball player who inspired the film A League of Their Own; Celeste Ng, the New York Times bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You; and Mike Resnick, a science fiction writer with five Hugo Awards won over the course of his 64 novels, 250 short stories, and two screenplays.
For the young ones who aren’t ready to sit through a full seminar session, American Girl Columbus has activities and crafts planned for the weekend, as well as options for story time: practicing illustrating their favorite narratives with the help of professional illustrators, a chance to dress up as characters from books they love, a Lego play area, and a balloon artist to teach them how to make their own balloon animals.
Columbus food trucks are promised to be nearby to fuel the literature party, but if a sit-down is a must, three blocks away El Arepazo Latin Grill serves up authentic South American dishes, and just around the corner, Market 65’s locally grown produce and meats make up some mean salads. Before you go, stop by the festival’s pop up Barnes and Noble to stock up on Ohio authors’ works to read on the two-hour drive back south.
The Ohioana Book Festival, Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sheraton at Capitol Square, 75 E State St., Columbus, (614) 466-3831.
Facebook Comments