Festivals are abound in Key West, from the world-renowned Fantasy Fest to the Key West Literary Seminar, but a new festival this year is aiming to highlight local literary voices.
BookFest is being put on by the Key West public library. Kim Rinaldi, the senior branch manager, said the idea was born out of an ongoing trend among library visitors.
“We have a lot of people who come in, both locals and tourists, they come in asking for books by local authors, Key West authors.”
BookFest will feature at least 28 Florida Keys published authors across a range of formats and genres.
“We have so many authors who are doing that and people don’t even realize it. So we wanted to give them a space to promote their works and highlight their accomplishments.”
The inaugural event will be Nov. 2 at the library’s palm garden. The free event will also feature a local history exhibit and a live harpist.
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