The Kentucky Book Festival takes place virtually and in-person Nov. 1-5 at various locations in Lexington and wraps up with a full day featuring 140 writers at Joseph-Beth Booksellers on Nov. 6. Celebrating its 40th year in 2021, the event enables readers of all genres to buy new books, attend discussions, and meet authors.
“When the fair was founded, it was a one-day celebration that occasionally had a few additional events on the Friday before,” said Sara Volpi Woods, festival director. “Then, when Kentucky Humanities took over in 2018, they expanded it and called it ‘the festival’ because it included multiple events. So, now we say it is a week-long festival that ends with the big shebang of the Book Fair.”
The location has changed through the years, but the vision of founder Carl West never has wavered. He wanted a way to honor writers and enable readers to meet them.
West, who died in 2016, was the longtime editor of The State Journal in Frankfort. During his career, he spent time in Washington, D.C., where he was introduced to the book fair concept while serving on the National Press Club’s Library Committee. He brought that idea back, and in 1981, while visiting the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives’ new building in Frankfort, West knew he had found the perfect spot for the event.
“It has a gorgeous lobby overlooking the river valley, and you can see the Capitol from there,” said Ellen Hellard, a book festival committee member who has been involved since its beginning.
Hellard recalled that 40 authors and about 1,000 visitors attended the first Kentucky Book Fair, as it was then called. The next year, 80 authors were on hand, increasing to 100 the year after that. “The lobby would not hold any more people, so we had to keep it at 100 for the 10 years we were there,” she said.
For the following 10 years, the book fair took place at the Kentucky State University gymnasium, where 200 authors attended. It moved to the Frankfort Convention Center until that building was razed in early 2018. Rebranded as the Kentucky Book Festival, it had a two-year stint at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena. In 2020, the festival went virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• • •
Forty years ago, Kentucky had no other book fairs, so the organizers had an easy time recruiting authors to attend and hosted a wide variety of them. “We had premier journalists, who had written books, come from around the country because Carl knew them all,” Hellard said. “We also got a lot of newspaper coverage across the state because these editors also knew Carl.”
The festival has welcomed celebrities such as actress Patricia Neal and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, plus notable Kentuckians, including University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari, mystery writer Sue Grafton, former Kentucky first lady Phyllis George, and the state’s 2013-14 Poet Laureate, Frank X Walker. Hellard said the festival committee tries to include a mix of genres, along with well-known authors and those just starting out.
One of Hellard’s favorite authors to attend was Erma Bombeck, who sold out of the 400 books she had brought. Another year, Mickey Mantle was a featured author, and the organizers could not believe how many men came just to see him—all holding baseballs. “Mickey said he would only sign the ball if they bought one of his books,” Hellard recalled.
The biggest seller in the history of the book fair is writer, activist and farmer Wendell Berry of Henry County. He is the author of more than 50 books, and when he is at the book fair, the line to meet him is long. “We try to seat new authors around him so that they can reap the benefits of chatting with the people waiting in line,” Hellard said.
• • •
Because some of this year’s festival events are virtual, people can participate them no matter where they live. One of the online events is a discussion with Silas House, who this year celebrates the 20th anniversary of the release of his debut novel, Clay’s Quilt (see story on page 44). Celebrated central Kentucky chef Ouita Michel will be featured in an in-person Literary Luncheon Nov. 2. The luncheon includes a meal made with Michel’s recipes and an autographed copy of her cookbook, Just a Few Miles South.
In addition to access to authors on the day of the fair, authors will deliver presentations and participate in panel discussions on the main stage. Elin Hilderbrand, the author of 27 novels, will take the stage along with author Dianna Rostad. Former Marine fighter pilot and U.S. Senate candidate Amy McGrath, the author of Honor Bound: An American Story of Dreams and Service, will join former FBI agent and author Kathy Stearman for an on-stage discussion. There also will be a presentation by Kentucky’s Poet Laureate, Crystal Wilkinson.
Woods’ goal is to bring a broad and diverse collection of authors. “The most exciting part is meeting 140 authors in one setting at Joseph-Beth,” she said. “I try to be as balanced as possible when selecting authors and genres.”
Hellard, who served as book fair manager for many years, said that the festival is special because it brings authors and readers together. “I want people to read,” she said. “I’m a librarian by profession, so it is a thrill for me to see the excitement of readers meeting the person who wrote those words in that book.”
The Kentucky Book Festival will align with federal, state and local guidance on COVID-19 restrictions and requests that all attendees, authors, volunteers and staff members wear masks. Please check the Kentucky Book Festival website, kybookfestival.org for announcements of event changes.