For many people, the image that comes to mind when thinking about Baltimore is “The Raven” and Edgar Allan Poe.
In that same vein, the Baltimore Book Festival, which began in 1996, takes place every year, bringing hundreds of people, authors and book-lovers to Mount Vernon, where white tents are scattered around the Washington Monument.
The festival began on Friday and continued throughout the weekend. By the last day, the sun was shining brightly and the temperature was perfect, neither cold nor humid.
The aroma of cinnamon-roasted walnuts wafted through the air, adding to the festive atmosphere, as if the street performers — such as pretend-statues, women dressed in colonial outfits in remembrance of the War of 1812 and the Civil War and a tap dancing instructor — weren’t enough for that. The colonially dressed folk didn’t even seem all that out of place as the festival took people into the past.
The surrounding buildings, such as the Walter’s Art Museum, a looming, gothic-looking church and the Peabody Library, only added to the feeling of being taken back in time.
Families and friends picnicked on the small patches of grass, listening to live music and eating free samples of all kinds of food.
Over time, numerous things have changed.
Many people now order books online and read them on electronic devices, and very few powerful chain bookstores remain.
However, the Baltimore Book Festival, now in its 18th year, keeps the original spirit alive — the tangible love of reading felt by every voracious reader.
Its popularity has grown rather than dwindled away.
The festival even made its way into the Walter’s Art Museum and the Peabody Library, both of which had their doors wide open for fair-goers.
The authors represented at the festival included those who are more well-known to those who are self-published and still building their name (using the venue to do just that).
Authors of every genre were present, from romance to fantasy fiction. Eleven stages were set up at which these authors were able to read passages from their works aloud. Passersby stopped in to listen, or sat down if they were interested in hearing more and asking questions.
This event catered to pretty much every age, selling children’s books at one stand and science-fiction novels in another. Accordingly, people attending ranged from academic adults to couples with young children.
This year, Center Stage, which happens to be celebrating its 50th season, also took part in the festival, performing and doing other interactive activities in a closed-off area by their stage.
The Washington Monument stood at the center of the festival with two perpendicular streets passing through it. Each of the four sides had its own theme for attendees to explore.
On North Park, the Author’s Tent stood across from the Music Stage, with various booths from local businesses in between, some of whom were selling products and others who were recruiting writers for their newspaper or magazine.
On West Park, there was a stage called The Children’s Bookstore Stage, where elementary-schoolaged children were picking out Sesame Street books and doing coloring activities with their parents and siblings, trying to finish their ice cream before it melted from the heat. An image that stands out is that of a two-year-old who was so relaxed that he was attempting to nap on the cobblestone pathway despite the fact that his stroller, which looked much more comfortable, was only inches away.
The Literary Salon was on East Park, across from the children’s section, and it was comprised of large booths like the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Many book signings were taking place here, which is part of the reason why so many books were selling: The customers were buying them because the authors were there in person to sign!
On the final side of the monument, South Park, there were a variety of booths across from the Authors’ Tent. These included the Maryland Romance Writers, board games and even a reading and writing lounge where individuals were sharing their thoughts and ideas with one another.
Overall, there was something for everyone, even if it was just a nice place to spend the day outdoors with friends, and the event itself was conveniently only a JHMI shuttle ride away from Homewood Campus.
Anyone who missed out on the Baltimore Book Festival this year shouldn’t fret, as it will be back, and probably even bigger, next fall.
Baltimore itself is colored by more culture and history than many people realize, and this festival was proof of that. Places like the Walter’s and Peabody are often open to the public, and the festival was a great opportunity for many first-timers to explore Baltimore and see what this city has to offer.
