The annual Children's Festival of Reading in my city was an amazing experience. Between recovering from serious sunburns from standing in the sun for 6 straight hours and getting my house finally repaired after last year's storms, I didn't get a chance to post a blog about the festival last week like I wanted, so I'm doing it today. Below are some of the few pictures I was able to take while standing in front of my booth. There were so many people roaming around that I never even got a chance for a potty break much less water break, lunch break, or a chance to visit the other booths. Everyone was excited about all the autographed items I had at my booth and word must have spread about my goodies because a lot of people came to the festival specifically looking for us!
Here's my booth at 7:30 Saturday morning. I was still trying to set up when I stopped long enough to take a picture.
I created posters where I had printed off the book cover of every author who participated and wrote their names on stars next to their books because to me, THEY were the stars of the day! I also had a basket full of cards and handouts that authors had sent me for the kiddies, along with bookmarks they could color and take with them.
At one point there were different dragons strolling through the grounds right before the parade and this fellow was the longest.
More dragons wandered in and was followed by Biscuit the dog as part of the parade of books.
More dragons but a red one this time. The kids sure did love those dragons!
At the storyteller's tent, authors like internationally known Diane De Las Casas entertained the crowd with her stories.
Biscuit and author Alyssa Capucilli read about his adventures to the crowd.
Melissa Thompson talks about her Keena Ford book series.
I didn't have time to chase down the people on stilts in order to get a picture of their faces...boy, could they travel great distances on those things!
These next two photos were taken right around 10 am when the festival was just getting started. Within a short time you couldn't turn around without bumping into someone...lol...
The tent in this picture with the balloon roof had to be one of the most popular booths at the festival. It was a "petz 4 sale" booth where you could buy mylar balloons of different animals like frogs, giraffes, dogs, cats, dinosaurs, etc. with crinkled legs and weighted feet so that as you pulled the string attached to the balloon, it actually looked like the animal was walking along with you. So cool!
This was Dolly Parton's Playhouse performance of Otis on the performance stage. This stage was across the field from me but the place was packed and you could hear the laughter drifting across the field in my direction.
I had to take a picture of this book by Susanna Leonard Hill. For the younger visitors who stopped by my booth, THIS book caused such a stir with some of the kids that one little boy actually grabbed it off the table despite my and his mother's request for him not to touch it. We both literally had to wrestle it out of his hands and he was very upset because he REALLY wanted to take that book home with him!
Thanks again to all the wonderful authors who went out of their way with their generous donations! I am still getting in touch with all the winners to make sure everyone gets their prizes...all 350 of them! If you want to read more about the festival, here is the link to our city's newpaper coverage of the event...
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/19/childrens-festival-of-reading-at-worlds-fair/
All I can say is I can't wait until next year and I hope to get the word out even sooner so that I can help promote even MORE authors next year!!
What a fabulous, fabulous day, and an amazing festival! Thank you for sharing this view of it with us. So glad it was a great day for you -- except for all the physical discomforts (hope you've recovered from that sun over-exposure).
ReplyDeleteWell done!
Hi Beth! The sunburn is almost gone but the great memories will live on forever! I just wish I could have cloned ME for one day so I could have put one of me at the booth and let the other me join in the fun at the other booths. There was a booth at the other end of my row of tents that had a group of performers dressed in character from Alice in Wonderland and The Nutcracker and they were just dancing on the lawn with a group of kids. I would have loved to have gotten a picture of that but they were too far away and I was always too busy with people visiting my booth...;-)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Hi Donna .. it looks like a very well attended event with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves ... so glad you did well and had fun - perhaps you can have a friend with you next year .. so you can get a little freedom to roam, interact and have a brief break - just one!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos showing the event off .. great to see - thank you - Hilary
Hi Hilary! I had brought my sister with me, but she was working the bookmark tables and we ended up having so many people come by that I started tossing entry forms at her so she could hand those out as well...;0)...neither one of us could get away and I literally only sat down for TWO MINUTES the entire day!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
What an amazing day! The festival sounds so fantastic! And what a great job you did with everything! I hope your sunburn is better, and thank you so much for telling the story about Freight Train - it made my day! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Susanna! It was cool watching the people's reactions to all the books and other prizes I had at the booth. The little ones that couldn't read the "Please Do Not Touch" signs would grab your board books. I would ask the older kids what type of books they liked to read and would then show them I had some of those kinds of books as prizes. Both parents and kids were fascinated by Salina Yoon's Kaleidoscope book. It was the only time I had to ask an adult not to touch the books other than one Asian gentleman that was SO excited when he saw Tales From China: World Famous Fables by Miranda Paul and immediately picked it up to start flipping pages! A lot of people would walk up to the booth and get excited when they saw a book they recognized they owned or had just read. And I made sure to tell the 10 year olds who visited, about Erik's awesome book review blog. I have also typed up a list of ALL participating authors with their links to their books that I will give out to every winner so EVERY winner has a chance to find out (and hopefully purchase) one of the books they DIDN'T win.
DeleteCan you tell I had fun? ;0)
Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Wow! What a totally awesome job you did! You always go above and beyond :) Thanks!
DeleteAwww, thanks Susanna! I don't consider it going above and beyond...just helping out friends I really believe in the "paying it forward" theory and who knows? Maybe one day down the road someone will help me out when I need it...;0)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Wow!Donna. What a success. I'm glad it went so well. You worked really hard and what a nice job on your booth. I started to say I'm sorry you didn't get a break, but I know when you are excited, sometimes that's not so important. However, we all have our limits when it comes to our bladder and frying skin :-) Thank you for sharing your photos and story about the big day. Thank you for the opportunity to have my book included in this exciting event. Congratulations on a job well done!
ReplyDeleteHi Alayne! I'm the one that should thank YOU for participating...without all the lovely authors out there sending me their prizes, I wouldn't have been so successful at my booth. I'm hoping you will want to participate again next year because I don't promote JUST brand new book releases...;0)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
I think it is brilliant the festival was even organised. It seems that books are an endangered species in these technological times.
ReplyDeleteText speak irritates me more than anything else!
Ow kann a chylde bee xpectad to lurn to spel anifink ryt?
Ahahaha...that was too funny, JP! Weird thing thou...I could read it perfectly...;0)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Oh Donna...what a wonderful event...thanks for sharing the photos and stories with us.
ReplyDeleteLast summer, I did a PBS event here and it was a VERY sunny and VERY hot and I did NOT have an umbrella or awning. :( Luckily, I had asked two friends who graciously came and helped me crafts with hundreds of kids for 7 hours!!!
Hope your sunburn is better...it sounds like your table was well-attended...thank you for being our spokesperson. :)
No, Vivian...thank YOU for wanting to be a part of the festival. Without wonderful authors like yourself, I wouldn't have even HAD a booth. I only hope you will interested in maybe participating again next year...;0)...and yes, my sunburn is slowly healing...but it was worth it!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Donna, the event was really well attended. I am so glad you had so many authors that responded to your call. Well done on organizing your booth and getting the participation. Everything you did took a great deal of work. Very proud of you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam, for your kind words. And you are correct. It took a good amount of time and planning but there are still things that I will do differently next year. I'm just glad I'm an organized, multi-tasking kinda gal! ;0)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Brilliant post Donna, and wow you had organised everything so well, Go you girl! Hope the sunburn is better now.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane! The sunburn is slowly healing and I'm a pretty organized person when I have enough time to plan things out. There was a time in my life when I use to do garage sales for other people because I liked the challenge of organizing and running it...making money for OTHER people simply because I liked helping out. Yeah, I know...weird, right? Lol...
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Thanks for telling other kids about my blog!
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that a kid wanted "Freight Train" - right off the display table! ;)
It sounds like you had fun!
Hi Erik! Oh yes, when I told people about you, the kids were amazed that someone their age was reviewing books. They thought you were cool and I do to! ;0)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Donna, I have been on vacation for several weeks passing through Knoxville twice and wondering where the fesitval was and how you did. I loved the photos and your sharing all of the fun with us! Sounds like you had a ball despite the sunburn. Glad there was interest. Was the purpose to just share the books, or did you actually give some autographed books away. I could see a stampeed if you gave some away. Loved your booth.
ReplyDeleteHi Patricia! I had two objectives with my booth. Showcase wonderful writing talent from around the globe with the hope it would generate more sales for the authors, and give away the 350 autographed items which were sent to me for this event. My booth idea had never been thought of before and the coordinators of the event had never heard of someone doing something like this before! I was happy to do this for the writing community and as my way of giving back for all the wonderful friends and support I have received this past year!
DeleteThis sounded like a blast to attend. My kids would have loved attending!! Thanks for sharing this Donna and thank you so much for promoting my picture book.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! Any time and we will do it again next year!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!