Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Get Your Lit Together: A Primer on This Year's Festival of Books
Photo by popculturegeek.com via Flickr
()
Tomorrow, the annual LA Times Festival of Books—a weekend-long celebration of literature and a fifteen-year old Los Angeles tradition—officially begins. In the past, the LATFOB has attracted roughly 140,000 Angelenos each year to its various panels, discussions, vendors, and book-minded activities; so it’s probably best to prepare yourself beforehand. And with new features like the free Target bus, Korean Taekwondo performances, and the LATFOB phone app, there’s a lot more you’ll want to check out at this year’s festival. Here’s the rundown on how to get there and what to expect:
Transportation:
Target Bullseye Bus: This year, LATFOB boasts the Target Bullseye Bus, a series of ten buses that will rotate triangularly between Union Station, LA Convention Center, and USC. Also convenient if you live by a Metro Route, so you can hop on to Union Station or LA Convention Center and then take the Bulls Eye Bus to USC. Bus Fare: Free.
Downtown Dash: To accommodate the LATFOB, Dash has increased its hours of operation and frequency. Trains will run every 10 minutes at all F-Line stops. Fare: $0.35
Support for LAist comes from
Parking: Parking is available on-site at USC. Cost: $10
(Complete transportation information can be found here).
2011 Highlights:
Programming: There are two new stages at LATFOB this year, including the USC stage, which is set to feature the school’s marching band and student slam poetry, and an indoor panel room which will showcase USC faculty and alumnus. The Hoy Stage will feature Spanish-speaking programming including a spelling bee for kids. And the festival’s new Discover The World section will be comprised of different cultural booths from Ireland to Israel, covering a variety of subjects from poetry to Korean Taekwando.
Food Options: The festival’s new digs at USC also means more food options than ever before. In addition to the LATFOB food court stands, USC has its own sit down restaurants and campus food court available. And beverage-only kiosks will be placed throughout the festival, ensuring no one should wait too long for a bottle of water or a frozen lemonade.
Vendors: The festival will house over 300 various vendors this year. At USC, this means a lot of vendors in a smaller space, but that also means a lot more cohesiveness. Gone are the days when vendors were stationed in obscure parts of the UCLA campus. This year, LATFOB is hoping the booths and stages will be more centralized and much easier to maneuver.
Festival of Books App: That’s right, if you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or Android device, you can download the LA Times Festival of Books app. It’ll help you make and manage your own schedule and provide detailed maps of the grounds. The best part is; if you download it now, you can use it at the festival without cell service or WiFi access (festivals aren’t conducive to the best cell phone service). So you can navigate what you need without overhauling your refresh button.
Support for LAist comes from
Tickets: As you might already know, many of the LATFOB panels and discussions are sold out, but don’t be discouraged. If you get there early enough on Saturday or Sunday, you might be able to score some of the limited tickets that have been reserved for on-site purchase ($1). It’s on a first-come-first-serve basis, so once they sell out, that’s it. Well, not entirely. You’ll still be able to hit up the stand-by lines, where you’ll be seated in any seats that are still open 10 minutes to show time. You might want to head to the stand by lines early if you’re hoping to see, say, Patti Smith and Dave Eggers—popular discussions and panels will require a bit more wait time.
Of course, you can always check out the LATFOB website for the complete rundown of events before the festival gates open at 10am tomorrow. But know that this year’s LATFOB will be more than equipped to handle the estimated 70-75,000 people traversing USC each day this weekend. When asked what the best part of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is, event coordinator Maret Orliss quipped, “You get over 140,000 people over the course of two days in Southern California, who all come together for the love of books.” Enough said.
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books @ USC
Saturday April 30, 2011 from 10am - 6pm
Sunday, May 1, 2011 from 10am - 5pm
General admission is free.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist