“Celebrating books and authors on the Hill,” this year’s BookFest returns to Eastern Market on Sunday, October 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I interviewed Liz Cogan, president of Literary Hill BookFest Board, about this year’s event.
HillRag: Can you share with us a bit of the history of this homegrown, neighborhood event?
Liz Cogan: The Literary Hill BookFest turned Karen Lyon’s long-running column in the Hill Rag, the Literary Hill, into an annual showcase for Capitol Hill literacy, culture and the humanities. Each month, Karen reviewed books by authors who either lived on, wrote about, or had another strong connection to Capitol Hill. Fans of the Literary Hill eventually convinced her to launch a live celebration featuring these accomplished authors—alongside Hill-based libraries, booksellers, publishers, and other literary groups—and in 2011 the Literary Hill BookFest was born. Since then, the BookFest has become a beloved annual event with a “home” in the North Hall of DC’s historic Eastern Market, featuring author talks, discussions, children’s activities, and a popular poetry open mic on the patio at Tunnicliff’s Tavern after the main event. During the pandemic, we ran the BookFest virtually, complete with discussions, writing workshops, a children’s segment, and the poetry open mic. It’s hard to imagine now, but we ran a couple of brief dress rehearsals, just so our authors felt completely comfortable with Zoom!
HR: What will readers find at this year’s BookFest?
LC: Readers will find just about anything that suits their literary taste—from historical fiction, poetry and memoir to spy thrillers, travel, politics, history and more. And they’ll have the opportunity to meet and mingle with the authors of this eclectic mix of genres. We work very hard to bring a diverse group of writers to the BookFest, all of whom are excited to meet their readers face-to-face. We’ll have discussions on of-the-moment topics, a full slate of family-friendly activities in our bustling Children’s Corner, book giveaways, and an open mic, where established and first-time poets will present their work to an enthusiastic crowd.
HR: What is your favorite thing about being involved in the event’s production?
LC: I’m very proud that we’re an accessible, down-to-earth book festival that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still delivers a delightful literary experience to the community every year. We feature as talented a roster of authors as you’ll find anywhere, and they’re literally hanging out for half the day, chatting with each other and their fans about anything from their former career as a spy to their backyard bee colony. I’m also very proud that we’re able to showcase established literary luminaries—whose work is published by a Big Five publisher—alongside rising stars and first-time self-published authors. All our authors’ stories have value, and I love that we use our platform to bring these stories to the public every year, free of charge.
Be sure to check https://www.literaryhillbookfest.org/ for updated information about authors and s. The BookFest is ed by Capital Community News (publisher of the Hill Rag), the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, Tom Faison, Jake Anderson, and the Jason Martin Group.
