Surviving the Printers Row Lit Festival

Feature photos by Chadmagiera

It’s that time again! It’s time for the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Festival, the largest literary event of the Midwest. Yes, my fellow bookworms, Chicago will shut down five city blocks and fill them with beautiful used and new books. Besides purchasing books at the festival, you can also see a myriad of authors for free.

Saturday June 12th:

10 a.m. Luis Alberto Urrea, author of “Into the Beautiful North” @ Grace Place/ 2nd Floor
This year Luis Alberto Urrea, the Renaissance man of literary genres, will be speaking at Printers Row. Not only is he speaking for free, but Urrea is speaking three times this weekend. So, if you missed Luis Alberto Urrea’s last appearance in Chicago because you were too poor to participate in his fundraiser with Dave Eggers, consider this your lucky weekend.

10:30 a.m. Lives in Transition with Kris Radish, Maureen Lipinski, Maureen Gibbon and Stacey Ballis. Moderated by Gina Frangello @ Digitally Lit/ Room 1
We can’t wait to check it out. On Sunday, Gina Frangello will also be participating in a conversation about Chicago as the new indie publishing capital! Go Chicago!

2 p.m. Chicago’s Multicultural Publishing Pioneers: Fernando Diaz, Moira Pujols, Martin Riker and Don Share moderated by Danielle Chapman @ Arts & Poetry StageBesides publishing, this panel will also be discussing Ediciones Vocesueltas’ latest book, Jaleos y denuncias by Stanislaw Jaroszek, a Spanish writing Polish-born Chicagoan. Also Ediciones Vocesueltas will be discussing their next book “En la 18 a la 1,” a collection of writings from their biweekly writing workshop.

3 p.m. Beyond Borders with Luis Alberto Urrea, Achy Obejas and Aaron Michael Morales. Moderated by Cristina Henriquez @ Hotel Blake / Burnham Room

4 p.m. Luis Alberto Urrea and Christopher Cardinale present “Mr. Mendoza’s Paintbrush” @ Dearborn Station/ Lower Level

4 p.m. “Spaces Between Us” Anthology release presented by Third World Press and the Gwendolyn Brooks Center of Chicago State University @ Arts & Poetry Stage

Third World Press and the Gwendolyn Brooks Center of Chicago State University will be releasing their new anthology “Spaces Between Us: Poetry, Prose and Art on HIV/AIDS” on Saturday. Sunday, their Senior Editor Gwendolyn Mitchell will be teaching a poetry workshop. We can’t wait!

Sunday June 13th:

Noon After Hours Press @ Arts & Poetry Stage
After Hours Press will be celebrating their 10th anniversary this month. Congratulations!
3 p.m. The Art of Poetry workshop presented by Third World Press @ Hotel Blake/ 2nd floor

4 p.m. Chicago, The New Indie Publishing Capital Cris Mazza, Davis Schneiderman, Zoe Zolbrod, and Gina Frangello. Moderated by Jonathan Messinger@ Center Stage presented by TheMash.
Click here for more Printers Row Lit Festival events and activities

Your turn, bookworms: what event or speaker are you excited about? Tell us in the comments section. . .

robyn@gozamos.com