Organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Festival is held every year in September in Washington, DC. Dubbed as a celebration of the joy of reading, the festival (which is free and open to the public) was held at the National Mall.

There were four pavilions set up in the venue. The Author Pavilion, Book Sales Pavilion, Pavilion of the States and the Let’s Read America Pavilions.

Author Pavilion

The Author Pavilion hosts all the author presentations, including book signings. Genres are separated into different booths and include Children, Mysteries and Thrillers, Fiction and Fantasy, History and Biography and Poetry and Prose. Past authors who have participated in the festival include Lois Lowry, Judy Blume, Jodi Picoult, David Baldacci, Sue Monk Kidd and Azar Nafisi, among others.

Book Sales Pavilion

At the Book Sales Pavilion you can buy your favorite authors’ books to have them signed at the Authors Pavilion.

Pavilion of the States

Learn about the literary traditions and literacy promotion projects of the 50 states. Representatives from the different states will be there to answer questions about their writers, book festivals, libraries and book awards among others. Check out other pavilion features including “Discover Great Places Through Reading” and “52 Great Reads About Great Places”.

Let’s Read America Pavilion

The Let’s Read America Pavilion features different activities to encourage reading among families and children.

Visit the National Book Festival Official Website for information on the 2010 Festival.

Going to Florida? Check out these literary fairs!

1. Much Ado About Books

Check out the book festival organized by The Jacksonville Public Library Foundation in Jacksonville called Much About books. Authors are invited to spearhead panel discussions, book signings and writers’ workshops. There’s also the Children’s Chapter, a book fair featuring books and characters made especially for kids. And there’s also the Young Writer’s Awards, featuring the best work from middle and high school students in Jacksonville. Much About Books happens every February at the Jacksonville Public Library.

2. Miami Book Fair

Organized by Florida Center of the Literary Arts at Dade College, the Miami Book Fair is attended by book lovers all over the world every November. The book fair features sessions with different authors with readings and book signings, Children’s Alley (where kids are taught the importance of reading), and International Cafe with special focus on the different literary cultures of other countries. Another highlight is the Write Out Loud Cafe, which features readings from up-and-coming poets, writers, performance artists and monologuists, among others from South Florida. There’s also a Street Fair where hundreds of book lovers gather to buy their latest literary discoveries from the numerous booksellers present.

3. Southwest Florida Reading Festival

Held at the Harborside Event Center and Centennial Park in Fort Myers, the Southwest Florida Reading Festival aims to ignite people’s passion for reading. Past events include a marketplace where booksellers and distributors have a chance to sell their books. There are book signings, demonstrations and arts and crafts activities for children. They also sponsor writing contests for teens and aspiring authors. Be sure to check them out again next March!

4. Zora Festival

This six-day fair in Orange County celebrates the life and works of Zora Neal Hurston, writer, folklorist and anthropologist. The Zora Festival features museum exhibits, public talks, panel discussions, writers’ workshops and concertsevery January. Watch for the Outdoor Festival of the Arts, featuring literacy programs for kids, juried arts competitions and an international marketplace.

Next stop: Illinois