The 11th Annual San Antonio College Book Fair will be held on Saturday, April 8, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. outside near the Gym and Planetarium, featuring approximately 50 authors from San Antonio and throughout the state who will sell their books and discuss their work in two large Texas Author Tents. In addition, booksellers and writers' organizations will join musicians, clowns, face painters, food vendors, book costume characters, and more for this festive, family-friendly event. For more information, call 733-2147.
Earlier in the week, the San Antonio College Poetry Celebration will be held Wednesday, April 5, 7 - 9 p.m. in McAllister Auditorium, when the winners of the ACCD student competition will read their poems. In addition, ACCD and community poets will read and discuss poetry. This free event is open to the public.
Among the authors appearing will be San Antonio College English Professors Carol Coffee Reposa (author of three books of poetry, including "Facts of Life"), Paul Perry (author of several short story collections, including "Street People"), Irma Ned Bailey (author of the novel "Fire in the Bones"), Bill Shute (poetry collection "Twelve Gates to the City"), Nora Olivares ("Burials, Bridges and Blessings"), Foreign Language Professor Thomas Farias ("Succeed in School"), and Kinesiology Professor Angelina Jackson ("Anyabwile").
Some of the other authors include poet Trinidad Sanchez ("Why Am I So Brown?"), Linda and Steve Bauer ("Recipes from Historic Lousiana"), Lupe Ruiz-Flores ("Lupita's Papalote/El Papalote de Lupita"), Gil Dominguez ("They Answered the Call: Latinos in the Vietnam War"), Martha McCabe ("Praise at Midnight"), and poets Tom Keene ("The Waters of Becoming") and Rod Stryker ("Exploits of a Sun Poet").
Some of the exhibitors and organizations scheduled include Books Are Fun, Scholastic Books, Gemini Ink, Keepsake Books, Society of Latino Writers, Book Crossings, Floricanto Press, L&M Bookstore, San Antonio College Bookstore, Southwest School of Art and Craft, as well as the San Antonio College Teaching Academy Peers Program, and the Nursing Education Department, among others.
Elementary school children are encouraged to read books with a Read-a-Thon program, with prizes provided for those whose parent or teacher verifies books they have read in the months prior to the Book Fair. Free Book Fair T-shirts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some of the children's activities include a moon bounce, inflatable sea dragon, and hands-on arts and crafts.
In addition, Book Fair attendees who are eligible to attend college can register for two $250 scholarships, given away in drawings, which are good for the fall 2006 semester at San Antonio College.
The schedule of Book Fair activities follows:
10 a.m.: Book Fair opens; music by DJ
10 a.m. - Noon Clown
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Book Costume Characters
11:30 a.m.: Cheerific Techniques - 80 middle school cheerleaders perform
Noon Scholarship/Prize Drawings
12:10-1:20 p.m.: Charlie Wood and Third Stream perform
1:20 p.m.: Scholarship/Prize Drawings
1:30-2:30 p.m.: St. James Gate performs (Irish music)
1:30-3:20 p.m.: Clown and face painter
2:30-3 p.m.: San Antonio Street Dance and Drum Company perform
3-4 p.m.: Music by DJ
