Portland’s acclaimed Wordstock Festival Book Fair, the annual celebration of reading and writing, will move from the Oregon Convention Center to the campus of Portland State University in 2015.
Wordstock is the largest celebration of literature and literacy in the Northwest, designed to engage the broadest possible audience of readers and writers. The festival attracts over 13,000 people each year, including 3,000 children and their families.
The 2013 Wordstock Festival Book Fair will take place at the Oregon Convention Center, October 5-6, 2013 and feature guest curator Kevin Sampsell’s Picks, special appearances to celebrate Star Wars Reads Day, galvanic poetry, the Little Word Children’s Stage and Discovery Place and introduce a new, permanent festival focus: songwriting.
However, in a return to Wordstock’s roots in public education, Portland State University will host the festival in the future in a variety of locations on the college campus, with access to local food, academic resources and a diverse student population. Wordstock has long been seeking a dynamic venue for the book fair that would provide both broad public access and more meaningful experiences for participants. Portland State University’s academic setting and direct connection with Portland’s rich cultural and culinary offerings will attract new audiences and maintain the festive energy of Wordstock’s concentrated, live gathering of curious minds.
“We are thrilled to bring our celebration of professional writers and enthusiastic readers out into the community, and partner with Portland State University to reach the next generation of literary minds. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the organization,” said Nancy Ellis, Wordstock’s Executive Director.
The festival will also return to its original timing and move from the Fall to the Spring, March 13-15, 2015. This will allow Wordstock more time to involve the community in festival planning and participation, particularly public school students, teachers and administrators – a target audience who currently find it challenging to engage so early in the school year. When schools are further along in their curriculum, students will take greater advantage of opportunities to connect with professional writers at the festival.
“Portland State University shares Wordstock’s belief in the power of writing to effect positive change in people’s lives,” said Sue Beatty, Dean of PSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “This festival will complement our strong liberal arts education programs and we look forward to partnering with Wordstock as the festival evolves.”
Every year since 2005, Wordstock hosts hundreds of authors from around the world at its festival of books, writers, and storytelling in Portland, Oregon. The Wordstock Festival includes a week of special events hosted by partner organizations throughout the metro-area and culminates in a two-day book fair featuring ten reading stages; over 100 exhibitors; workshops on the craft and business of writing; the Little Word Children’s Stage and Discovery Place, and more.Wordstock is a non-profit literary arts and education organization that began in 1997 as Community of Writers – a professional development program that helped teachers improve their writing instruction, sponsored by the Portland Schools Foundation and housed on the campus of Portland State University. This program has served over 1,800 teachers across the region and as a result, over 40,000 students and their families. Newer programs include literary arts residencies for K-8 students, and family programs that give parents tools to help support the development of their child’s unique voice.
For full festival event schedule and ticketing information, visit bewordstock.org.
