Plans are now underway to present the annual Vegas Valley Book Festival this coming November. As the largest annual literature event in Las Vegas, the festival is founded on the simple premise of bringing together those who love to write books and those who love to read books. This four-day event will present a full schedule of readings, panel discussions, book signings, workshops, poetry & spoken word performances, exhibitions, children’s literature and special events. Most events are free and open to the public.

When: Wednesday - Sunday, Nov. 4 - 8, 2009

Where: Most sessions take place at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., a 1930s mission-style building that now serves as a cultural complex in the heart of downtown. Other 2009 book festival venues include the Clark County Library at 1401 E. Flamingo Road and the 18 b Arts District.

Festival presenters: The Book Festival is presented by the city of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs, Nevada Humanities, Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. Programming partners include UNLV Black Mountain Institute, the UNLV School of Architecture Downtown Design Center and the UNLV Creative Writing Department. Sponsors include TARGET®, Nevada Arts Council, Barnes & Noble, National Endowment for the Arts, KNPR Nevada Public Radio and the local chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design-- the festival’s creative branding partner.

Bookend keynotes: In keeping with tradition, the book festival will feature opening and closing keynote authors-- on Thursday, Nov 5, and Sunday, Nov 8. Look for a special keynote announcement in the near future.

Themes, tracks and genres: The book festival celebrates contemporary literature, fiction and non fiction, in all genres. Festival themes follow tracks established in previous years including the literature of Las Vegas, pop culture, the built environment, poetry / spoken word, comics, children’s literature and workshops for writers. Look for some new themes and topics introduced this year.

Authors: More than 100 local and national authors local, are expected to participate in this year’s festival—in panel discussions, readings, book signings, special events and as exhibitors. Invited authors will be announced in the spring and summer.

Target Children’s Book Festival: This companion book festival—taking place on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Centennial Plaza adjacent to the Historic Fifth Street School—will present children’s authors, book giveaways, story time events, staged performances, a puppet show, educational booths, arts and crafts, costumed characters and other activities fostering literacy for kids. For more information, call 229-4614.

A call to all local book clubs: The Vegas Valley Book Festival is sending a special invitation to local book clubs to be involved in this year’s festival. We want to hear your suggestions for authors to invite as speakers and we want to encourage your club members to read some of the books by the authors who will appear. Please contact us at the Book Club Hotline, 229-4611, to be on the Vegas Valley Book Festival Book Club Roster. We will send you an enlistment form and you can send your suggestions for speakers. Look for some special opportunities for local book clubs later in the year!

Be a Book Festival Volunteer! Through the VVBF Volunteer Program—coordinated by Nevada Humanities--you can sign up to play a special role during the four-day event. Volunteers can choose to help on a variety of activities and each will receive a signed copy of a book by a featured author, a signed limited edition poster and a Vegas Valley Book Festival t-shirt. Call our volunteer coordinator, at 229-3515, for more info.

Other Vegas Valley Book Festival 2009 Highlights____________________________

First Friday hosts the spoken word from the world of the cowboy: Cowboy poets will take center stage at First Friday in the 18 b Arts District from 6 to 10 p.m. on Nov. 6. Look for more program details later.

Local Author’s Fair: The Local Author’s Fair (LAF) is revamped this year to take place in an outdoor setting on Saturday, Nov. 7, in the east courtyard adjacent to the Historic Fifth Street School. Local authors can network, exhibit, sign and sell their own works. In addition, these exhibiting authors can sign up for an ongoing all day series of short readings at the podium in the fountain courtyard. Registration information will be available later in the spring. For more information, call our LAF coordinator at 229-3515.

Comics Festival: The comics festival returns! This all-day event is hosted again by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Clark County Library with speakers, workshops, films, book vendors and other special events.

The Illustrated Word: Look for a number of special visual arts exhibitions, featured in conjunction with the festival, that will celebrate the illustrated word and the art of the book.