Third Annual Books in Bloom Festival Set for Sunday, June 2

The third annual Books in Bloom book festival, hosted by the Downtown Columbia Partnership, is set for Sunday, June 2, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

The festival features more than 20 of the country’s best and brightest authors and includes readings, panel discussions, culinary offerings, a Rose‘ and Beer Garden, live music and a Busboys & Poets pop-up bookstore.

Thematic conversations and panel discussions by writers include Rising Up + Speaking Out: Black Feminism Today, From Knife to Pen: Top Chefs Share Their Stories, Looking for the Rainbow: Celebrating Pride 50 Years After Stonewall, And You Don’t Stop: The Birth and Rise of Hip-Hop, Documenting Immigration: Sharing Perspective with the Next Generation, and Graphic Memoirs + POC Voices: The Surprising New Narrative.

Featured authors also include Bob Yule, author of “Spirits, Sugar, water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World, Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman, authors of “The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the future of Trump’s America,” Maurice Jackson, author of “DC Jazz: Stories of Jazz Music in Washington, DC,” Scott Crawford, author of “Images and Stories from the 1980s Washington, DC Punk Scene, and Abby Maslin, author of “A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love.” Novelist Angie Kim, author of “Miracle Creek,” and memorist Nicole Chung, author of “All You Can Ever Know,” will also read from their works.

Young Adult writers include Carmen Rorigues, author of “The Universal Laws of Marco,” Kathy MacMillan, author of “Dagger and Coin,” and Jessica Spotswood, author of “The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls.” Children’s activities include face painting, puppet shows, glitter tatoos, story time and more.

The festival is free and open to the public of all ages. More information and the developing author lineup is available at http://www.dtcpartnership.com/booksinbloom/ . Registration is requested at http://www.booksinbloom.eventbrite.com .

The Downtown Columbia Partnership promotes and advances the growth of Downtown Columbia as a vibrant, economically robust and desirable place for employment, entertainment, living and learning. Its initiatives, such as Books in Bloom, include supporting cultural and arts programs aimed at enhancing residents’ quality of life.

Presenting Sponsor The Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission works to expand artistic and cultural activities in and around downtown Columbia and at Merriweather Post Pavilion, while Presenting Sponsor The Howard Hughes Corporation is currently undergoing a transformative redevelopment of Downtown Columbia spanning 391-acres. One of the hallmarks of the redevelopment is the repositioning of Downtown Columbia as a true urban core and regional hub for culture and commerce.