Gather your friends and family for the 20^th annual Chippewa Valley Book Festival and prepare yourselves for twenty events, seven days, one festival. Starting October 21, 2019, the Chippewa Valley will be filled with events that will thrill, delight, and enlighten audiences of all ages. Here are ten reasons to drop everything and attend an event or two (or more!) this book festival season:

1. Celebrate the written word. Books have the power to transport us, to teach us, and to test our assumptions. Join your fellow community members in celebrating the wonderful world of books.
2. Listen to a Pulitzer Prize winner for the third year in a row. This year, the book festival is once again hosting a Pulitzer Prize winner. Art Cullen will discuss Change and Resilience in the Heartland. You will also have a chance to hear Rebecca Makkai, a 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist, speak on her award-winning novel, The Great Believers.
3. Explore the Chippewa Valley. The events can be found at locations throughout the Chippewa Valley. You’ll find events in Altoona, Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Fall Creek, and Menomonie. Explore local landmarks such as the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Lazy Monk Brewery, Pablo Center, and more!
4. Don’t be left out. Each year, nearly 6,000 students and adults attend and participate in festival events, author visits in the schools, and the Young Writers Showcase.
5. Discover your next favorite read. Reading the book is not required to attend an event but think of the excitement you’ll feel when you find your next great read by hearing the story behind the story and listening to an author talk about their work. You will also have the opportunity to get your books signed by the authors. You can bring your own or purchase a copy from the book festival’s book sale committee.
6. Support your community. The festival is organized by volunteers who have spent countless hours over the last year preparing high caliber events for the Chippewa Valley. In addition, the book festival relies solely on community donations from businesses, organizations, and individuals to cover the costs of hosting the authors and events.
7. Learn something new. They’ve got a topic for every interest and a book for every reader. A variety of topics will be covered such as history, parenting, health, poetry, the immigrant experience, and the environment.
8. Bring the kids. The book festival hosts eleven authors who will present 36 events to school children in our community. These events are closed to the public, but you can meet the school authors at a book sale and signing event on October 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Visit Eau Claire’s Experience Center. Learn more here.
9. Ask your burning questions. Every author presentation allows for a question and answer segment at the end. This is your chance to find out why the book ended the way it did, why the author picked a specific topic, or what the author is working on next.
10. Check out Pablo Center at the Confluence. It’s been a full year since Pablo Center opened but not everyone has had an opportunity to see this beautiful addition to our community. Limited tickets are still available for Rebecca Makkai’s discussion on Where Fiction Meets History and Kim Brooks’ presentation on Parenting in the Age of Fear. Both events require a ticket: the Makkai event is $10/ticket but the Brooks event is FREE. Click here for the most up to date information.

For full festival details and complete a list of authors, visit www.cvbookfest.org/schedule. You can also find the featured book titles in the MORE online catalog by using the search term: “Chippewa Valley Book Festival 2019.”