Printers Row Lit Fest

I came to this fest last year and loved it so much that I decided to check it out again this past weekend. I especially like seeing the literary speakers! This year’s lineup was Awesome!!! I got to hear Marcia Clark from the OJ Simpson trial speak, RL Stein the author of Goosebumps, and Ethan Hawke who is a talented actor and now wrote a graphic novel. I had also planned to see Buzz Aldrin the astronaut but had conflicting plans. Each ticket was only $ 3!!! Totally worth it and surprising well organized for such an affordable price. The speaking venues were clean and there were plenty of organizers around to help you find your spot. Can’t wait to see who they bring next year! Also check out the outside tents with authors, book shops, and misc… you can find some deals out there.

Still a pretty good fest, But it seems that the one’s from that memorabilia shop in the NW suburbs weren’t there. But nevertheless, Still a good place to find some treasures.

Great festival. My opinion — it’s one of the best festivals in the Chicago area.
While the book fair is a huge draw, for me the star of the weekend are the various workshops. To listen to some of Chicago’s best writers and performance artists talk about their craft is an amazing and inspiring experience.
The book fair was nice. But, since I have no room in my cramped apartment, I wasn’t able to purchase any books. Instead, I did come across some books that I promptly downloaded to my e-​reader (I’m a modern book nerd!)
I’m looking forward to the 2016 festival next year!

The Printers Row Book Fair is an outdoor book fair run in the Printers Row neighborhood of Chicago just off the downtown Loop. The fair was started in 1985 by a planning board of the city as an attraction to draw interest to the neighborhood for redevelopment. By 2002 it had morphed into an attractive fest, and the Chicago Tribune bought it and took over management of the fair… and renamed it the Printers Row Lit Fest.
As a book fair there are scores of canopies set up with book merchants displaying their wares, alongside a number of authors and smaller publishing houses. Thousands visit the fair each year and peruse the tents… new books, used books, maps, and any number of other book related items are offered for sale. Traffic is cut off on Dearborn Street between Congress and Polk for the fair, and visitors simply walk the street viewing the vendors. Live music is also offered at places as are author signings, and the restaurants along the street remain open for business during the weekend.
The other big book fair in Chicago is the Newberry Library Book Fair held each July. The only problem with Printers Row is it is outdoors and weather can be a problem… and parking is wonky. But for a summer fair, the Printers Row Book Fair is fun.

This review is late, but better late than never!
This is the second or third year that I have attended the Lit Fest. NERD ALERT! Right? Try it and you might like it. It’s time to get that noggin working and pick up some good books. They even had some cooking demonstrations that were enough to get my mouth watering.
It is wonderful to get a chance to listen to book authors read from their work and talk about their creations. In some cases, you can even meet them and have them sign your book!
If you are writer and interested in the creative process, you can even find inspiration at the fest. I know I did!
Looking forward to next year…

I’m not going to lie, me and a book festival go together like hemophiliacs and boxing. But what I like about lit fest is there’s something for everyone — whether you’re someone who likes to douche it up by letting everyone know the book was better than the movie or you’re a more casual reader like me who only purchases the occasional audio book. Granted, I do regret my latest purchase (Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary).
Many people go to this festival because they are tired of paying top dollar for books at major retail chains or they are tired of standing in a secluded corner of one of those retail chains, taking digital photos of each page, and then regretting using Snapchat to send themselves those photos. Here you can find tons of books from local book sellers (e.g. Powell’s) for less than $ 10, a lot had $ 3/​book deals. A number of booths cater to specific interests. For instance, the Christian Scientist booth. They told me the way to heal is through the power of prayer. That is a really unfortunate remedy since my ailment is sore knees from excessive kneeling. I didn’t waste too much time with those guys, preferring a vendor more steeped in reality, so I wandered over to the vampire and zombies book seller. One of the other neat parts about this festival is you can talk with many authors who are there promoting their work. I talked to one Swiss/​American journalist who visited North Korea and wrote about what he observed. It’s amazing that there are still parts of the world that exist in total isolation where only a handful of outsiders have ever dared to venture, you know, parts other than the south side of Chicago.
It’s not just books that are being sold either. One vendor was selling these ornate, leather-​bound journals. Does anyone actually write in journals anymore? It’s one of those things that had a use way back when, but now serves absolutely no meaningful purpose, like the electoral college or Canada. Also, if you brought your kids, the «Storybook Mom» was at the kids stage, strumming her guitar and singing songs about counting and monkeys jumping on the bed. It was nice to see the crowd react with warmth and enthusiasm, unlike the boos and jeers she got when she opened for Insane Clown Posse on their House of Horrors tour.
So come on out to this annual festival and express your appreciation for the written word. Without it, where would we be, an oral tradition of face-​to-​face interactions? How idiotic! Ok, now I’m going to send a bunch of text messages, tweets, and Facebook updates, all the while walking and strenuously avoiding eye contact with other people.

$ 5 books and fun events. Loses a star because who in their right mind pays $ 8 for a packaged funnel cake. I would have splurged if they were being made fresh, but when you see them coming out of the package, that’s just highway robbery! More books, less crooks!

What better way to mark the 30^th anniversary of Lit Fest, and the close of another successful year, than with a review on Unilocal.This is my second year in attendance and I was fortunate to be able to partake in the events on both Saturday and Sunday. The weather cooperated, and I had fun in the days leading up to the festival plotting out my schedule of author talks, panels, and workshops. Highlights included a hands-​on bookbinding workshop and the American Heritage dictionary’s Define-​a-​Thon (at which I would have cleaned up if not for a pesky highly, technical scientific definition). In addition to the heavy hitters and literary luminaries in attendance — of which there were many– there were also ample opportunities to discover emerging authors and artists and pick up leads on what I should be adding to my to be read (TBR) list. For me, the magic is in the ability to form connections with fellow bibilophiles and with authors who might have previously seemed off limits or unapproachable. Whether in a classroom, on a panel, or in a question and answer session, it was an unforgettable experience to watch the boundaries between author and reader melt away, and to be able to listen, learn, and interact with writers such as J. Courtney Sullivan and Chris Mazza that I’d only seen from afar. Kudos to Lit Fest for creating an atmosphere where we can all share in a love of reading, and bringing such a well-​curated collection of authors and personalities to our fair city.

Attended event held in the South Auditorium of Jones College Prep. Difficulty for a family member with a cane to exit North through cafeteria to next venue… North on State. Kindest staff ever, Mr. Gene Cox, teacher, Jones CP, acting as security in the school, let my mom out level exit… rather than marked exit… saving her a painful walk up and down stairs. Thank you, Mr. Cox and Jones CP for your help.

YES! LIT FEST! Where have you been all my life? A hidden gem of a summer event that I only found out through a brief glimpse of its commercial while flipping through local channels. The streets are filled with bookstores, publishers, authors, and many literary figures trying to sell their brainwares.
It’s well organized with clear aisles for crowd traffic, but also with gaps for people to stop and examine items for sale. In 2013, they had Art Spiegelman signing copies of Maus, but I didn’t catch any well known names this year. This year, there was a bookbinding workshop that was really cool. Some presentations require tickets, so check for that online in advance if you don’t just want to stroll around. In the front aisles are the big publishing companies from UChicago and Northwestern and the companies become more independent as you walk further. I found the used and antique book sellers to be the most interesting because they really love what they do and know how to find what you’re looking for. This one man found me some vintage Edward Gorey books and another directed me to a series of dusty books from the early 1900s describing travels to the Orient and other places ($ 75/​book — yikes!). Besides books, some booths also sold witty shirts and posters. For children, there are reading corners and those are set up in a lovely way, so drop the kids off there if they don’t care for looking through books that may or may not smell like grandma’s attic.
I only took one star off for minor inconveniences. A lack of parking space is one, but you should be fine if you commute. A bigger concern is there doesn’t seem to be many food options in the area and for families with children or just the overall crowd, a food truck here and there don’t really provide fuel for the day. Also because of the crowds, it’s hard to find an eatery on the street that has an open space for the onslaught of people. A 7 – 11 is nearby, so grab some water there, especially on a hot day!
Note: Some sellers are CASH ONLY, so prepare to withdraw from ATMs nearby (once again, 7 – 11 supports a number of banks).

I waited to write this review until today. It’s been several weeks since we attended the Fest but I wanted it to be a celebratory review so I waited until it was the 4^th of July to write my 800^th review, a double celebration!
The Lit Fest is a double celebration as well — books and authors. Both are intertwined and favorites of mine. I love reading and the chance to look through books to find either a bargain or a new favorite is a thrill for me.
I’ve wanted to come to this fest for a while and we finally managed to pull it off this year. We are not taking a vacay this summer so I’ve been trying to make sure we do as many day trips, fests and fun local events as possible. This fit in quite nicely with that scheme. Plus the weather was very cooperative for our visit — pleasant temps and gorgeous sun.
I hadn’t realized how much preplanning was required if I wanted to hear authors speak, the second part of this celebration. Printers Row is not just a location, it’s the literary magazine of the Chicago Tribune, the old Books supplement which used to be included for free with your Sunday paper. Now you have to subscribe separately and pay a hefty fee. I am waiting for the price to match my budget or my irritation at paying for something which I used to get for free to subside before I sign up.
However, if you don’t subscribe, the author aspect of the Fest is somewhat diminished as first crack at tickets are for subscribers. I didn’t even know you needed tickets in advance until it was too late. Maybe next year I will have it all organized and get to hear the featured authors.
In the meantime, hurray for books and fests which celebrate them! And hurray for 800 reviews! Plus, Happy Birthday America!

This is my third year to go to this festival and this one is perfect for my husband. Thankfully he got me back into reading and this festival is such a great deal for those that still love to physically turn pages. Located in the heart of south loop this festival has things to do for the kids, the fam, and bibliophiles. There are book signings, entertainment for the kids, food trucks for a quick meal, and even demonstrations (I got to take pictures of Fabio from Top Chef this year). I bought a hard cover collection of the complete Grimm stories for $ 8! It’s also a great way to check out local writers.

Another year, another Lit Fest!
The weather was actually perfect this year — mid 70s and sunny. So it was pretty crowded with everyone enjoying the weather.
New feature for 2013 — with the new food truck ordinance, there were about half a dozen on-​site selling food, including the buzzy Tamale Spaceship. We didn’t partake, but I thought that was a cool addition.
Also: Judy Blume! How cool is that! Yay books :)

We live two blocks from the cross of Harrison and Dearborn, that is why we never miss this festival! Last year I bought a lot of books on art, barely used or like new for 10 – 15 dollars each. Also I found a baby book from the beginning of XXth century and really enjoyed reading it!!! So funny. Was also only 10 dollars worth! If you are looking for the goof deals on used books — Lit Fest is a place for you!
You can also buy new book for 5 bucks. This year I bought a book «All the tea in Chicago» for my good friend who is a fan of teas.
Also during this festival you can listen to the many authors, who present their new books there. And lots of life music!!!

8 years ago, I was thrown out of this PUBLIC event on a PUBLIC street for taking a photograph of Julie Andrews. The security that is hired for this event are nothing but thugs. While «escorting me out» (I went peacefully), the security guards kept throwing me to the ground and yelling «STOP RESISTING». Then, when they reached the end of the fair, they made up all sorta lies to tell the police as to why I was being thrown out.
When I tried to ask the cops if I could press charges, they said I’d need the guy’s name and they wouldn’t help me get it. The only way to get it is to talk to the office that runs the security… Which was inside the book fair where I wasn’t allowed to go.
I would never go to this fair again.

I love the Printer’s Row Lit Fest. I am definitely a book person in addition to being an avid reader; I do not own a Kindle or any other eReader because I really do enjoy the tactile experience of reading an actual book.
That said, some people might think Printer’s Row is not for them. This event, however, has things for people who aren’t hard-​core lit nerds like me.
For example:
*Readings (Today I heard somebody shouting the f-​bomb six times and thought, «Hmm. Sounds like a story I want to hear.»)
*Cooking demos
*Art, ranging from photography to Japanese woodblock prints
*Vintage/​nostalgia items like old movie posters
*Author discussions and panels, and this year that included some serious conversation about the history of Chicago’s old county hospital and the lessons from it that apply to the contemporary healthcare debate
*Comics and graphic novels
*Cool stuff about Chicago’s history and local goings-​on
*A competition that is like a spelling bee but is about defining words, not spelling them
*Children’s books both old and new, as well as Young Adult books, for those parents with little bookworms at home
If you ARE a wordivore like me, my top picks include the independent publisher tent (including McSweeney’s and Featherproof), the Open Books tent ($ 2 softcovers and $ 3 hardcovers with the money all going to a pro-​literacy charity!), and the poetry tent.
My advice, as somebody who has been a couple times now, to somebody thinking of going for the first time next year:
*Don’t spend all your book money at the first few stalls. Look around a bit, otherwise you will be like me and be kicking yourself halfway through because you’re out of cash and/​or see the same book at a different stall for a lower price.
*Drink lots of water and remember that there are numerous good restaurants nearby. Don’t die of heat stroke! These are authors and publishers, not doctors.
*Take the CTA; parking will be difficult, especially with Dearborn closed to traffic.
*Grab a free schedule and map from the library or a stand near the entrance. Formulate a game plan if you want to see certain events or something that is only open at specific times.
*Check ahead of time to see if the events you want to attend require tickets. The tickets are usually free, but space is limited, so if you don’t get them ahead of time, you may be out of luck.
My only issue with this event? The schedule wasn’t on the web site until something like a week before the event. WTF. I’m glad I live here and didn’t come in from out of town as a tourist, hoping to fit it in between Millennium Park and a ride to the top of Willis Tower, because something like that can sure blow an itinerary.
Overall, though? Totally awesome. Go next year. Don’t forget your sunglasses.

LOVE!
As much as I declutter and get rid of unnecessary crap, books will never be unnecessary crap. I have downsized a bit, gave away stuff I’d already read, but the book collection keeps creeping back up. And that’s okay.
Two badass chicks headed to the Printers Row Lit Fest on this day. .. two badass chicks that love books, love to read, and actually DO read the books they own. To browse books, stop for occasional beers and scope out the hot literary crowd of Chicago.
Overwhelming. So much cool stuff — University of Chicago press stood out with many gorgeous, well designed books that were on interesting subjects to boot.
The highlight, though, was the McSweeney’s booth. These guys kick ass with sassy writing and incredibly well designed, imaginative books. Boxes of small books. Books made as decks of cards that are shuffled, dealt and read — changing the outcome of the story each time. A slipcovered journal with a bonus pocket comb. Unusual bindings, sizes and printing techniques — art books that you can read. I bought four books.
Don’t miss this if you love books and love to actually read them as well. Bliss.

Having just returned here to the city after living in the L.A. area for decades, I knew that one of the few things I’d miss was the L.A. Festival of Books, an extraordinary event held annually all over the UCLA (now USC) campus during the last week in April. If you DO happen to be planning a trip to L.A. and love books, try to be there for the FREE L.A. Times Festival of Books. They advertise who’s gonna be there, so check out the website. Last week of April, USC campus. Also take a drive up PCH toward Monterey (visit Hearst Castle along the way) and check out the FREE Getty Museum … the views from the exquisitely designed architecture are extraordinary.
But — thanks to Printer’s Row Lit Fest — I don’t have to miss the LA Festival of Books … because it’s basically the very same thing, scaled down. Which is just fine by me, because I never got to do everything I wanted to at the L.A. Times Festival of Books anyway!
The Lit Fest is better organized in that you can actually print reservations online that are then exchanged for actual tickets to the FREE events. Score!
I’ve learned by going to these things to NOT over-​plan, however, if you do have your heart set on certain events, pick wisely and get there in plenty of time to get a seat. They fill up FAST. Even with the pouring down rain at one point today, the Pitchapalooza was PACKED.
I must take a moment to talk about Pitchapalooza. This opportunity was nothing short of amazing. After living in LA for decades as a writer … I was accustomed to seeing writers being charged HUNDREDS of dollars just to pitch their wares to agents. And this was FREE! All you had to do was sign up online and they picked a random number of people by name. You then got 1 minute to pitch your book in front of the panel and the audience. What a wonderful gift that is for writers! And then, if they didn’t get to your name, if you just bought their info-​packed book about the business, you got a free 20 minute phone consultation where you could ask anything you wanted! That’s a win-​win. Wow! I got to pitch my book today and I can honestly say it was just so validating to be able to do that.
Back to the review…
There are used, discount books, new books, every kind of book you can imagine. Great bargains, new writers. It’s just a wonderful display of love for the written word.
Some of the reviews indicate that there were no concessions — but this has changed. They offered a slice of pizza, salad and sandwiches — each for around $ 3 which is really reasonable, considering. There is close-​by table seating which was also nice and surprisingly, not over-​packed. You can also pick up some food to bring back from some of the joints around there, like Subway, or just plan to visit the restaurants like Panera, Potbellys’; Pockets and other restaurants on surrounding streets. Starbucks is right on the corner and there is a Dunkin that I visited at 333 S. State. There’s also a convenient CVS store on one corner.
I do have to say that the name «Lit Fest» is probably confusing to some people. Book Fair seems more logical. I understand it used to be called a book fair … seems to me that the word «book» should be somewhere in the title.

I came here last year as a volunteer. The weather was super HOT, and then came the torrential downfall of rain! Luckily the organizers were prepared and brought out the tarps.
There are so many books here!!! I am impressed by the size of the fair and the amount of people that came out to check things out.
There are a lot of talks from authors scheduled at the Harold Washington Library. Most of the talks are free, however, you need to reserve your spot online.
I hope to be able to check out this fair again this year!
Oh, just a note to those that have never been, this fair does NOT serve food. If you are hungry, you may need to sit down and eat at one of the restaurants located within the fair grounds. Or, if you are thirsty and need a bottle water, stop by the 7-​eleven on the corner of Dearborn and Harrison.

What doesn’t need a good rebranding every once in a while? You know, attract a younger clientele. Maybe shed some baggage associated with an old name. Or just present a different face to the world. Or, who knows, maybe even to throw off creditors (if only I could get a rebranding).
One example is the venerable old (sorry, antiquarian) Printer’s Row Book Fair. Now in its 25^th year, it’s henceforth to be known as the Printer’s Row Lit Fest. Though I do have to say that it was more of a rebranding than a reinvention. Anyone who went to the Book Fair in past years would have recognized the Lit Fest. In fact, I don’t think they changed a single thing except the name for 2009.
Not that the new name isn’t more accurate. After all, doesn’t Book Fair just recall buying Clifford books in second grade (not that there’s anything wrong with that)? Lit Fest is definitely a better moniker since it really is a celebration of books and authors. So much so that they should count themselves lucky people don’t go around ripping the mass amounts of paper into confetti.
National book superstars come into town and sit for panels at its various stages (the biggest of the bunch at the Chicago Public Library). There are autograph signings. There’s even a cooking tent where cookbook authors speak and demonstrate their recipes.
And it’s the one time a year where, love them or hate them, the Chicagoland literati get together and discuss the craft of writing in impromptu beard-​laden sessions in the chairs at the various stages. I personally even grew a beard for the event this year. Not really. Sort of.
But it is good that there’s a Chicago focus as the literati swarm. Contained in the dozens of tents are a virtual who’s-who’s of Chicago book stores offering great deals. Chicago independent authors set up booths for their new publications. Chicago publishers show off their new releases by Chicago authors in their stables (which always seem to contain a lot of Chicago history books which I don’t mind one bit).
It’s almost, in a way, a Taste of Bookcago. Hey, maybe they can change their name to that next year.