When Emma Kelley, director of Professional Educators Partnership and the Valparaiso University department of education, worked with organizers to plan the 2023 launch year for Dunes LitFest, the team agreed it should be hosted on the university campus.
“Our original idea was to have yet another reason to bring families and the surrounding community on our Valparaiso University campus to explore and share a great event,” Kelley said.
“And our organizing committee still loves that concept, but we also love the idea of expanding our invitation even further into our downtown Valparaiso area, to attract even more people attending the day’s event.”
What began as a two-day event during the inaugural launch a year ago is now condensed to a “one-day page-by-page reading extravaganza” as Kelley describes the free hosted author opportunities from 4 to 6 p.m. May 3 in Central Park Plaza in downtown Valparaiso.
“Last year we had eight authors, and this year, we decided to reduce our number to four national award-winning authors to give greater emphasis on the accomplishments of our featured guests and their writing creativity,” Kelley said.
“When we first dreamed up the idea for this celebration to reading to be born in 2023, it was already created from an event plan that was supposed to have happened, until the COVID pandemic paused us. I credit Valparaiso University Professor of Literature Benjamin Boche as the brain child of this reading event. Now that we’ve made it through the first year, we’ve learned quite a bit to make our year two even better.”
Billed as “a children’s literature festival for Northwest Indiana,” the headlining authors showcased this year are Eric Rohmann, whose works include “Giant Squid” and “Bulldozer’s Big Day;” Cozbi A. Cabrera, author and illustrator of “My Hair is a Garden” and “Me & Mama;” John David Anderson, author of “Riley’s Ghost” and “Ms. Bixby’s Last Day;” and musical artist ScribbleJim, the latter who proved so popular with crowds last year, he earned a return-invite.
Kelley explained the book festival is intentionally planned for late afternoon to welcome afterschool families, while the daytime hours are dedicated for the four invited authors and artists to share their careers with more than 600 students from area schools who are provided scheduled time to interact and learn from the reading mentors.
“While families are at the event, in addition to the book signings and the stage readings they enjoy with our authors, there are also a number of vendor tables to stroll and other books and items for purchase,” Kelley said.
“Not counting last year’s school field trips, during the public day for the festival, our counters told us that more than 300 guests were at our event. This year we want to double that number.”
In addition to Valparaiso University and Porter Council Public Libraries, Kelley said other annual sponsors support like Porter County Community Foundation, Centier Bank, Town Planner and The Press Bookstore have been key for helping finance and to provide volunteers to staff the event.
“The event is all outside, including the authors’ presentations before the audience, which happens on the stage of the Northwest Health Amphitheater, which means we want to plan for a great weather day to also allow our guests to visit the shopping and restaurants throughout Valparaiso’s downtown,” Kelley said.
“One of the most common questions we get is what the age range of children who will most enjoy and benefit from our events, and the answer we provide is that even though all families and ages are invited, ideally, it’s anyone from birth to middle school who will most enjoy our authors’ book selections.”
Kelley said when streamlining and fine-tuning this year’s event, she and the committee listened to the feedback they received.
“We had so many families, teachers and students write letters and email to us about last year’s event, and we appreciated all of the ideas and suggestions,” Kelley said.
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for The Post-Tribune.
Dunes LitFest
When: 4-6 p.m. May 3
Where: Central Park Plaza, 68 Lafayette St., Valparaiso
Cost: Free
Information: 219-462-0524; valpo.edu/education/duneslitfest
