The End of 2023, but Much to Grow From.

As we begin to move towards the year 2024 – there are many loose ends that have not been addressed worthy of 2023 spotlights. A look back at the success of Festival of Words was one of them.

**The traditional Authors pass the mic at the author panel!**

With all good intentions, we wanted to have all authors interviewed and podcasts posted BEFORE Festival of Words. It just didn’t work out that way – however, with the first of two podcasts with author Ryan D. Gebhart, it provided us a look back and a chance to revisit aspects of Festival of Words 2023.

Going into the festival, we found the numbers attending were definitely higher than the previously year, and what didn’t change was the massive support given by the planning committee coming from ALL walks of life, from teachers, librarians, retired educators, DLA, divisions of DLA, the state library system, and the authors themselves.

Certainly when you hear a Festival is going to highlight and feature local authors, some might think of this being slightly less adequate than some of the larger conferences that bill and bring in famous authors and big names. Yet, the opposite occurred. The authors, bookstores, even the original prints of @MedicGrizzUniverse and companies that supported Festival of Words could not have been more comfortable, inviting and personable – and each one of them were celebrities in their own in the connections they made with the attendees. Authors served as mediators of panels, reached out to authors at their individual tables, and were available many times in between sessions, and the overall themes of local, approachable, connecting with interests of attendees, this was all present.

Were there aspects that needed attention to from an administrative level? Of course, there is always room for improvement and having the ability to come back to the drawing table and list those within a week following the event was and is a strength in finding ways to reach readers, librarians, and literacy advocates. Yet, seeing so many librarians, adults, young readers, teachers, authors, and representatives of bookstores, state service groups. and some of the most creative tables (Did you NOT love the antique typewriter and being able to receive a custom poem on the spot?!) – every minute of the festival was active and had a literacy hum.

**Students come in early for the AM author panel**

Students browsing graphic art, comic illustrations, getting authors to autograph books, enter raffles for some amazing prizes by some amazing sponsors, becoming familiar with independent bookstores in our state, hearing authors apply their craft to the attendees and involving them, discovering what the Delaware Library Consortium can offer, seeing UDLib Search providing information that some did not realize before, and MUCH more – despite the 2:00 PM end, there was a sense of “this could go on for another day!”

More than anything, I noticed amid students spinning a prize wheel, making customized buttons, and discussing what DASL was, the authors from the moment they arrived to the time they left, were involved in so many ways from many different places (be it their workshop, their tables, walking amid questioning attendees, their panels, even at lunch). I found the authors as some of the most generous, thoughtful, giving, creative authors I had ever met in one location. Hands down. (Maybe I should say page down?). It redefined what local mean to me and what Delaware and Maryland means to me when the word local is applied. We are so incredibly lucky to have the authors within our vicinity that we do have, and this was evident on December 02 at Festival of Words.

One thing I do know, with the new faces we saw as a part of supporting Festival of Words 2023, we need even more to build on the successes, improve the areas needing improving, and continue to move forward in the areas of literacy despite the setbacks we have overcome. The most recent had been COVID, but now with so many other obstacles that rival literacy, we need even more individuals to support and grow what literacy can become in our state. Please consider being a part of the planning and idea committee for Festival of Words 2024, as seeing the number of students realizing how unique this opportunity was for them. We need you and your ideas, ability, and creativity as this was easily the reason so many important authors were able to be a part of this year’s festival. Please think about reaching out to Andrea Rashbaum (festivalofwordsde@gmail.com) in being a part of the idea pool for Festival of Words 2024 – and in the meantime, enjoy the wisdom we discovered at Festival of Words.

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