City-Sponsored Event Will Promote Reading And Literature In Las Vegas
The Vegas Valley Book Festival, co-sponsored by the City of Las Vegas, has launched a new membership program to give local book clubs a larger role in the annual book festival. The festival is planned this year for November 4–8, with most events taking place at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth Street, in Downtown Las Vegas.
The book club program calls for area book clubs to join as members and to receive special benefits, including the opportunity to annually select authors to appear at the event. Earlier this year, more than 40 recommendations were made by local book clubs and three “favorite authors” were selected as festival panelists.
Membership in this new program will include a special invitation to a reception on Thursday, September 10, 6:30 p.m., at the Historic Fifth Street School Auditorium, co-sponsored by the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs and Nevada Humanities. The event includes a festival preview, a look at some “best practices” of successful book clubs, a light repast and a reading by writer, Brian Kral, from Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh. The event is free for member book clubs only and clubs are asked to RSVP by August 28, 2009. Call 229‑4611 or email cgoodall@lasvegasnevada.gov.
The program also promotes the formation of new book clubs in Southern Nevada — in the work place, in the neighborhood, within interest groups and in other parts of the community. Those interested can contact the festival office to learn more about the Start a Book Club at Work — or in the Neighborhood project.
The membership program is one of several initiatives introduced by festival organizers this year. “The book club program will help promote reading and will draw audiences to the scheduled events,” said Georgia Neu, Nevada Humanities Program Manager. “The Vegas Valley Book Festival is a cultural treasure with something for everyone in our community to enjoy.”
Now in its eighth year, the book festival is presented by the City of Las Vegas, Nevada Humanities, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, with the local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts as the official branding sponsor.
For more information about the Vegas Valley Book Festival, call 229‑5431 or 895‑1878 or visit www.artslasvegas.org/vvbf.
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