Fort Myers, FL, Oct. 19, 2023 – The Lee County Library System’s 25th annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival will host 30 bestselling authors at the March event. Authors for all ages are coming to Fort Myers to meet fans and showcase their books from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 2, 2024. The free event will be held on the outdoor campus of the Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St.
This outdoor celebration gives fans the opportunity to meet a diverse line-up of bestselling authors, get books signed, and discover the latest books and digital resources offered by the library. In addition, there will be storytelling, a book giveaway for children and teens, youth writing award presentations, arts and crafts and more. Food truck vendors will be at the event.
“We are so excited to celebrate the festival’s 25th anniversary,” said festival coordinator Melissa Baker, who is the Lee County Library System’s manager of programming and community outreach. “Throughout the years, the festival has attracted many authors at different stages in their careers.” The first Reading Festival in 2000 was held at Centennial Park. With more than 12,000 attendees, the event featured 28 authors including journalist Carl Hiaasen as the keynote speaker.
An exclusive peek of the award-winning line-up of 2024 authors can be found by downloading the festival’s mobile app “SWFL ReadFest” from the App Store or Google Play. Festivalgoers who downloaded the app for last year’s event will need an update to access the new content. In November, the festival website, Readfest.org, will be updated with information about the featured authors.
Attendees wanting more access to this year’s festival authors can attend An Evening with the Authorson Friday, March 1, 2024. This signature fundraising event gives attendees time to mingle with the authors while enjoying dinner in an idyllic setting. An Evening with the Authorswill be held at the historic Burroughs Home and Gardens on the Caloosahatchee River. Ticket availability will be announced soon.
The Southwest Florida Reading Festival is free and community-supported through donations, sponsorships and grants. Visit www.ReadFest.org to make a secure online donation. More information is available at www.ReadFest.org or by calling 239-533-4832.
