The 3rd Annual Chestertown Book Festival will open this Friday evening with a reading by the esteemed National Book Award winning author and Chestertown’s own John Barth. Slated for 7 p.m. Friday evening at Hynson Lounge, Hodson Hall at Washington College, Mr. Barth will be reading from his forthcoming novel, Every Third Thought: A Novel in Five Seasons (Counterpoint Press). The author will be introduced by his longtime friend, colleague and the former Professor of Creative Writing at Washington College, Robert Day. A reception for Mr. Barth will be held at the same location after the reading. Washington College’s O’Neill Literary House is co-sponsoring the campus event.
Co-chairs for this year’s Festival, James Dissette and Gerard Cataldo, and the Book Festival Committee, have come up with a different festival presentation this year by hosting all the authors and publishers in one space rather than throughout town.
“The festival is defining itself though past successes and challenges. We loved the multiple venue approach of our first two years but discovered that too many people felt they were missing events when using such a complex and sometimes overlapping schedule,” Dissette says.
This year the main Festival will be held at the Garfield Center for the Arts and The Prince Theatre, 210 High Street, Chestertown, on Saturday, September 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with tables throughout the main theatre and lobby. Over 34 authors and publishers will be attending, many from the Eastern Shore. The Garfield Center for the Arts and Prince Theatre, close to being finished with its major renovation project, will offer the public its first glimpse of a reclaimed, renovated and spacious lobby area.
“We’re thrilled to be working with the Garfield,” Cataldo says. “Our hope is that a one-venue festival will maximize author exposure and project a sense of centeredness for the event. Everything is in walking distance and we will promote our town businesses, restaurants, and bookstores from the Festival.”
Readings by some of the authors will be held throughout the day at the Carriage House behind the Imperial Hotel and a readers’ schedule will be posted in the main lobby of the theatre and on the Festival website.
“We’ve had some strong support from the community and College: the Rose O’Neill Literary House at Washington College has been an instrumental co-sponsor for the Friday night event, along with an anonymous donor, and we really couldn’t pull this off without the direct help of the Kent County Arts Council along with a host of local businesses. We hope this is just one more step into turning this into a yearly Maryland arts event” Dissette says.
Saturday morning will begin with a “Children’s Time” at 10:05 a.m. Several authors will be reading from their children’s books and a “hands on” drawing class will be held. Bring the kids!
The 2011 Book Festival Committee members include: Carol Schroeder, Karin Cowperthwait, Jane Nevins, Lucy Maddox, Nancy Swanson, Dick Swanson, Kelly Castro, Kaarin Salisbury, and Michael Buckley. The Festival is fortunate to have received crucial assistance from its sponsors: The Rose O’Neill Literary House, The Kent County Arts Council, The Friends of the Kent County Library, The Imperial Hotel, L’Atelier IV Gallery, Twigs and Teacups, Houston’s Dockside Emporium, Cross Street Realtors, The C.V. Starr Center, The Chestertown Spy, The Chestertown Old Book Co.
All events are free to public. www.chestertownbookfestival.org. For more information call 410-810-3880
Friday, September 9 at 7pm: Barth Reading
Hynson Lounge, Hodson Hall at Washington College, Chestertown
Saturday, September 10, 10am-5pm: Garfield Center for the Arts and The Prince Theatre, 210 High Street, Chestertown
Joseph Mitchell says
Wonderful! Looking forward to a literary two days. Kudos to all involved in keeping this “tradition” going in Chestertown. The Festival deserves the support of the community, and we should all be grateful to the sponsors (there should be many more unfortunately) and the committee.Here’s hoping for a great turnout. Well done.