Kingston Book Festival 2018


If you are a tourist or visitor interested in books and literature, then there is a biennial book festival in Kingston, Jamaica that maybe of interest. The Kingston Book Festival is a Kingston-based weeklong event celebrating local books, authors, and writing. So in addition to consuming Jamaican music and food, consider the festival to feed your mind with Jamaican stories and books. As the poetic Cooke (2018) puts it, "Reggae Month ends and the multiple day Kingston Book Festival begins, the throb of drum and bass succeeded by the rustling of pages."

So I went to check out the final day of the festival that featured a book fair which for 2018 was held at Hope Gardens. I must confess that I am not much of a picture-taking person and prefer to just experience the moment rather than document it as I experience it. Hence, for Kingston Book Festival 2018, I was too engrossed in conversation at the different booths and viewing the books available that I forgot all about picture taking.






It was great experiencing the community of readers, publishers, and writers at Kingston Book Festival 2018. I even participated with my first born daughter in the "Sell Me a Story" pitch to publishers. I can endorse that the event was really family-friendly with a tent/booth for children to colour and play with toys. There was also storytelling for the children and book characters that interacted with the children.


So if you are coming to or will be in Kingston in March, just check to see if this festival will be on. According to Cooke (2018), the next one is 2020. For further information on this check out the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ)'s website or the Facebook page of Kingston Book Festival  or even the Twitter account.

Reference:

Cooke, M. (2018, February 25). Kgn Book Festival sticks to biennial plan. Jamaica Gleaner Retrieved March 11, 2018, from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20180225/kgn-book-festival-sticks-biennial-plan

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