Miami Book Fair International
The Miami Book Fair is an annual street fair and literary festival organized by Miami Dade College.[1] The weeklong gathering attracts more than 300 national and international authors every year and features pavilions for comics, children, and young adults, among others.[2]
Miami Book Fair
Active
Multi-genre
US
1984
200,000
Miami Book Fair @ Miami Dade College
History[edit]
Miami Book Fair International, originally known as "Books by the Bay," was founded in 1984 by Miami-Dade College President, Eduardo J. Padrón; Books & Books owner, Mitchell Kaplan; Craig Pollock of BookWorks; and other local bookstore owners in cooperation with the Miami-Dade Public Library System.[3][4] The two primary organizers of the inaugural 1984 Book Fair from the Miami-Dade Public Library System were Head of Community Relations Margarita Cano and Wolfsonian campus librarian Juanita Johnson.[5]
In 2020, the book fair added virtual content.
Community Partners and Sponsors[edit]
Florida Center for the Literary Arts (FCLA)[edit]
The Florida Center for the Literary Arts is the parent organization of the Miami Book Fair International.[6] The literary center was conceived to advance the College's literary traditions.[6] A permanent endowment was established with a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.[6] Full programming began in January 2002.[6]
As a department of Miami Dade College, FCLA generates programs to support authors and writing, journalism, play and screen writing, reading and literacy as well as the Miami Book Fair International.[6] Outreach consist of reading campaigns and book discussions, writing workshops, author presentations, panel discussions, and master classes.[6] The Center collaborates with a number of Florida-based cultural institutions and other partners in order to advance literary initiatives. The Center reflects of Miami Dade College's commitment to inspire anyone attuned to the world of literature.
Events[edit]
Festival of Authors[edit]
Typically more than 300 authors from around the world take part in the Fair's international Festival of Authors.[7] Writers come from all over the United States, and in previous years, the Fair has welcomed authors from countries like Argentina, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, England, France, Finland, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, Israel, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Trinidad, and other nations.[7]
Evenings With...Series[edit]
The Evenings With… Series features readings by world-renowned writers every evening for six consecutive festival days. In past years, guest authors have included recipients of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Casa de las Americas Prize, Pushcart Prize, O'Henry Award, National Magazine Award, Commonwealth Prize, MacArthur Fellowship and Edgar Award.[7]
Street Fair[edit]
The three-day outdoor festival gathers hundreds of booksellers and exhibitors from major publishing houses, small presses, scholarly imprints and foreign publishers.[7] Sellers of used books including signed first editions, original manuscripts and other collectibles also have booths. Millions of books in multiple languages can be found, with book signings and musical entertainment rounding out weekend Fair activity.[7]
Recent-Year Highlights[edit]
2014[edit]
In 2014, the Miami Book Fair International partnered with the National Book Foundation, to provide programming centered around 2014 National Book Award nominees and winners.[17] A sampling of additional authors appearing at Miami Book Fair International 2014 follows:[18][19]