Getting my table set up before the book festival was to open at 11am.
This past weekend was the first time I attended the Day of the Book Festival in Kensington, Maryland. Not just as an author, but as an attendee as well. And I wanted to jot down my report while the details were still fresh in my mind. So here goes...
Upon arriving, the volunteers were extremely helpful and it was a pleasant surprise to have help unloading the vehicle. Parking was easy, as I cannot say enough about how wonderful the volunteers were and the general sense that they knew what they were doing. The organization was well established and it ran smoothly when it came to set up and take down. (Kudos to the staff and all their hard work in making that portion such a success!)
Getting to the table, where the numbers were marked on the street and on laminated sheets on the front of the canopy as well.
Old Town Kensington is a charming place; with beautiful floral scenery and a historical atmosphere. Driving passed the timeless street signs, well-kept small parks, and seeing the train station, rounded off such a neat visual experience. After the event had concluded, a quick stop at Flinn Park, as pictured in the below image, was a cool bonus to end the day, before driving home back to Pennsylvania.
Shots of Flinn Park, one of multiple, smaller public areas that the town of Kensington maintains.
The highlight of my day, was a reader who stopped by and started up a conversation with me on the exciting aspects of historical discovers and referencing old published texts for authenticity. It truly made my day to have such a wonderful chat with this nice lady. That being said, I would think that if you were a children's author or sold hand-crafted toys, you would reach more of the targeted audience. While I must admit, that I had some mutually engaging conversations with passing people, the real winners of the day were food and music. The line for the ice cream truck ran fifteen to twenty customers deep on a constant basis as others walked the festival with securely held pizzas (which smelled delicious).
Many attendees had their dogs present (there were ALOT of those cute doggies), and appeared to have fun meeting up with family members or friends.
Chessboard in a table at Flinn Park. The real Chess Center was actually held in the festival, but there were too many faces to take a shareable photo.
It was intriguing to watch the Chess Center in action, and to have a chance to meet up with other authors in a networking sense. Overall, I would say that this event, with its charming setting, is more geared toward kids than for my style of books. But don't let that deter you from trying it out, as it does not mean you will have the same results.
Until next time...thanks for reading my latest blog! #bookfestival #maryland #mysterybooks #parks #oldtown #historicdistrict #fountain #chess