Arts, Books Make for Busy Route 1 Saturday

Hyattsville residents won't have to travel far this weekend to keep themselves entertained, at least for one day. A busy day of events on Saturday will bring art, literature and politics to the downtown Route 1 corridor.

Start your weekend off by stopping by the Tomes for Tunes Used Book Sale at Hyattsville Elementary School at 5311 43rd Avenue. Organizers promise thousands of books across all genres will be available for purchase at bargain prices. All proceeds from the used book sale will go towards the Hyattsville Elementary School music program. The book sale kicks off at 9 a.m. and runs through 3 p.m.

After you've gone through your morning book binge, a short walk around the corner to Jefferson Street and Baltimore Avenue brings you smack dab into the middle of the fifth annual Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival. Kicking off at 11 a.m. and running through 5 p.m., the festival will feature more than 50 artists exhibiting their creations along the main Jefferson Street corridor of the Arts District Hyattsville. It'll have a bit of a street carnival atmosphere, with live music and some great food.

We have full details on the art festival in this article. 

A bit further south on Rhode Island Avenue in Mount Ranier, author and political commentator Keith Boykin will be at Urban Eats Arts and Music Cafe from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m for a book signing. 

Boykin, whose book Beyond the Down Low: Sex, Lies and Denial in Black America cracked the New York Times bestseller list, is touring in support of his latest book, For Colored Boys, which was released last month. For Colored Boys dives into the complexities of life as a young, gay minority.