Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
Celebrate a decade of literary magic at the 10th annual Livingston Parish Book Festival, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Livingston Parish Library’s Main Branch in the Town of Livingston. This event is open to all ages, and there is no cost to attend. The Livingston Parish Book Festival is the library’s largest annual event, drawing thousands of visitors for a daylong celebration of books, literature, art and community, according to a news release. Attendees can look forward to engaging author discussions, book signings, live music, food trucks and a host of family-friendly attractions that include face painting, balloon twisting, games, crafts, escape rooms and more. In honor of the festival’s milestone anniversary, this year’s theme embraces the spirit of the Renaissance. The library encourages guests to wear their finest knight or princess attire and immerse themselves in a world of creativity, complete with Renaissance-themed games, crafts and decorations. Featured authors, performers Headlining this year’s lineup is Mari Mancusi, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Mancusi is the author of more than 30 science fiction/fantasy books and has also written tie-in novels for Disney and Netflix. In addition to Mancusi, this year’s Book Festival will showcase an array of literary voices. Other featured authors will be Shannon Kelley Atwater, a New Orleans-based children’s book author/illustrator; Baptiste Paul, a Caribbean-born award-winning children’s book author; and Rachel M. Marsh, a Louisiana native and critically acclaimed middle grade author. For live music, Grammy Award-winner Louis Michot and his band Swamp Magic will perform on an outdoor stage during an hourlong set. After his band’s set, Michot will join Atwater for a performance of “Fais Do-Do” from her new children’s book. Additionally, actors from Boomerang Comedy Theatre, a Baton Rouge-based troupe, will perform in a live open-world escape room in which they will team up with visitors to solve puzzles. Authors Row, Community Row Meet local authors on Authors’ Row and learn about the work of local nonprofit organizations on Community Row. This year’s Book Festival will feature more than 50 local authors and community organizations, the most ever. All-day activities All-day activities include an I Spy room, balloon twisting, crafts, temporary tattoos, face painting, jump houses, games, jousting, concessions, and food trucks, among other activities.
