Buoyed by the success of last year’s inaugural event the Palm Springs Public Library Foundation (Foundation) presents the second annual Pride on the Page Book Festival www.prideonthepage.org. There will also be a special ticketed fundraising ‘celebrity event’ benefitting the Foundation on Friday evening October 13, 2023, to begin the festivities, details to come shortly. All events will take place at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, historical Camelot Theatre (2300 Baristo Road, Palm Springs).
Saturday, October 14 will be a FREE full day festival from 10am – 5:30pm. The Festival will present ten panels of LGBTQ+ and affirming authors and allies in conversation about their books in dynamic discussions. Our goal is to bring together thought-provoking, entertaining, and enriching subject-matter that communicates different viewpoints and represents various genres that will attract readers/people who have never experienced queer culture, and others who have made it the focus of their lives. Our panel moderators will lead the authors through discussions of their work, hearing from their point-of-view, helping attendees to discover new authors or get reacquainted with long-time favorites!
“Palm Springs loves books,” said Corey Roskin, author coordinator for the festival and Palm Springs Public Library Foundation Board member. A longtime literary event organizer, Roskin helped program the popular West Hollywood Book Fair and Lambda Lit Fest. “Last year we showed that the Desert is host to a wide variety of literary talent, and this year we have gone even further afield to present this year’s group of LGBTQ writers.”
This year attendees will be able to see the following panel discussions and authors:
- The Stories We Tell: Exploring Exciting New Works of Fiction
Foraging through outstanding new fiction in its many forms and subgenres. - Young at Heart from the Start: On Writing the LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novel Young Adult authors discuss their books and the challenges and joys of writing YA novels.
- In/Visible: Queer Histories Real and Imagined
A serious and humorous exploration into LGBTQ+ history. - Remember Me: Writing About Our Queer Lives
A close look at fascinating lives under the microscope in magnificent new memoirs. - Queer Love, Lust, Eros and Everything in Between
A Lively conversation about sex, romance, and erotica from LGBTQ+ writers. - It’s A Drag. Or Is it? – Across the Gender Spectrum in Art and Life
An exploration of gender identity/ies, binary busting and drag on and off the page. - Rising: On Thriving and Surviving Through The Art of Writing Writers discuss their current works and how writing serves them as a healing/nurturing art.
- Christian Cooper in conversation with Lorenzo Taylor
Central park birdwatcher, comics writer, television host, science editor and proud Blerd (Black nerd) discusses his book “Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World.” - A.M. Homes in conversation with Jim Holmes
Winner of the prestigious Orange/Women’s Prize for Fiction discusses her new novel “The Unfolding.”
“The Palm Springs Public Library is a truly wondrous resource,” said David Sidley, President of the Palm springs Public Library Foundation. “Our upcoming renovation gives proof to the importance this community gives to literature and to its free and diverse access.”
There will be something for everyone at the Second Annual Pride on the Page Book Festival presented by the Palm Springs Public Library Foundation and the Palm Springs Public Library. In addition, other sponsors include the City of Palm Springs, Palm Springs Cultural Center, The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs (the official book seller at the events), United Airlines, David Perry Communications, El Mirasol Villas Resort, KGAY Radio, CV Independent, and The Standard.
Attendees are encouraged to register to attend this FREE event on Eventbrite. All those who register will receive a special gift at check-in on the day of the event. To register go to: https://rb.gy/h82yj. To learn more about the Pride on the Page Book Festival, the appearing authors, schedule of events and more, go to www.prideonthepage.org.
Enriching Lives, Connecting Community, Inspiring Growth, and Sparking Creativity. For over a century, Palm Springs has recognized the importance of a thriving local library. From a small adobe housing its first books in 1919 to today’s stacks holding over 100,000 resource items, the library has served residents from a dozen different branches. The mission of the Palm Springs Public Library Foundation is to continue that legacy. We aim to support the Palm Springs Public Library and to increase and broaden its use as a cultural and educational institution through financial support securing its place as an essential community resource. Ensuring local access to high-quality library services for generations requires more than just tax-based funding. Although public funds make libraries possible, it is private gifts that make them flourish. To learn more about the Foundation or how to become a member go to https://www.pslibraryfoundation.org/