Printer's Row Literary Fest Returns This Weekend

By Jim Bochnowski in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 5, 2015 3:05PM

This weekend, the Printer's Row Literary Fest will return to the South Loop, giving you a chance to rub elbows with the who's who of the literary world, including luminaries like Bob Saget and LeVar Burton.

The literary fest, which refers to itself as the largest of its kind in the Midwest, will feature over 200 authors on June 6 and 7 across five blocks in Printer's Row. The festival will feature seven outdoor stages, 100 different events and a book donation service on site. The theme of this year's event is "Free Your Mind," which hopes to underscore "the power of literacy and its ability to transform and inspire people of all ages, across all platforms," according to the press release.

The schedule of events, which you can find here, is packed with incredible authors. But be careful while planning your weekend; many of the events are free to the public but some require a ticket in advance, which can be acquired at the Chicago Tribune's ticket website, Tribtix.

Here's some of the highlights we saw.

Saturday:

10 a.m., Jones College Prep North Auditorium: Former advisor to President Obama David Axelrod, author Clarence Page, and Chicago Tribune Editorial Board member Kristen McQueary speak in a conversation moderated by Tribune Editorial Page Editor Bruce Dold. Tickets required.

Noon, Jones College Prep South Auditorium: Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton, winner of the Chicago Tribune Young Adult Literary Award, speaks to Tribune Film Critic Michael Phillips. Tickets required.

2 p.m., Arts and Poetry Stage: Actress Amber Tamblyn reads from her book of poetry, Dark Sparkler. No tickets required.

2 p.m., Harold Washington Library Center, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium: Sci-Fi author Neal Stephenson talks to Tribune features writer Christopher Borrelli. Tickets required.

7 p.m., Jones College Prep South Auditorium: Comedian and author Bob Saget speaks to Tribune reporter Mark Caro as part of the festival's "Lit After Dark" series. Tickets required.

Sunday:

11 a.m., RedEye Stage: Watch our own Chicagoist contributor Danette Chavez compete against Reema Amin and Rebecca Brink in a "Chicago Writer Challenge," in which the three will "compete against each other to answer questions about writing, writers and journalism." No tickets required.

1 p.m., Hotel Blake Burnham Room: Cartoonist Scott Stantis will discuss his work in a "post Charlie Hebdo World." Tickets required.

2 p.m., Jones College Prep North Auditorium: NPR host and author Scott Simon will discuss his recent memoir, Unforgettable. Tickets required.

Of course, there will be plenty of other events this weekend, so grab a book bag to carry your new literary acquisitions and head on down.