MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL’S STREET FAIR KICKS OFF FRIDAY, NOV. 9 WITH MARCHING BANDS AND BELOVED BOOK CHARACTERS
~ MDC’s Wolfson Campus in Downtown Miami ~
MIAMI, November 8, 2007 – The streets of downtown Miami will be enveloped in melodic tunes and shouts of joy when the official opening of the Miami Book Fair International 2007 (MBFI) Street Fair kicks off with a parade on Friday, Nov. 9 at 11:15 a.m. at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus at the corner of N.E. Second Avenue and NE Third Street. The Parade will travel south on N.E. Second Avenue to Flagler Street then turn west to N.E. First Avenue. It will proceed north on N.E. First Avenue and return to the Wolfson Campus.
Leading the way will be Harry Potter and his friends, who will delight the audience along with other movie and storybook characters such as the barnyard gang from Charlotte’s Web, Curious George, Madeline, Clifford the Dog, The Cat in the Hat, Raggedy Ann, and silly clowns. The Miami Children’s Museum team and children from various elementary schools will also take part in the colorful procession, which will have an international flair with entertainers representing their native countries.
A City of Miami police motorcade and honor guard along with marching bands from Homestead Middle School, Charles Drew Middle School, and John Ferguson Senior High will also be on hand.
Friday, Nov. 9 - Official Opening of the Street Fair
The Miami Book Fair International Street Fair officially opens featuring hundreds of book sellers and publishers, Children’s Alley, the International Pavilions, author presentations, and much more!
All events take place at Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus and are open to the public.
All opening day Street Fair events are free. There is a $5 admission fee on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 10 and 11. The Street Fair is free for children 18 and under.
8:30 a.m. – Student Literary Encounters
Miami-Dade County students visit the fair and attend readings by authors planned just for them. This year, high school students discuss poetry with Nikki Giovanni; middle-schoolers get to talk with novelist Edward Bloor and elementary students will explore fiction with Donna Jo Napoli.
11:15 a.m. - Opening Parade
NE Second Avenue and Third Street
The City of Miami Police motorcade and honor guard will escort a parade of dignitaries, marching bands, beloved book characters, and guests through the streets of downtown Miami.
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. - Creative Writing
Building 7, Room 7128
Crafting a Strong Beginning
Author Mary Morris will teach on how to write a story with a strong beginning that will compel readers to turn the page. Admission to this workshop is $40 per person. Pre-registration is required. Visit www.flcenterlitarts.com or call (305) 237-3940 to register.
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Workshop
Building 7, Room 7128
The Life Cycle of a Book presented by Sam Barry and Kathi Kamen Goldmark
The authors will give an insight into the publishing process from beginning to end that will include audience participation and time for questions.
6:30 p.m. – Peruvian author Daniel Alarcon and Cuban writer Karla Suárez
Batten Room 2106, Building Two
Readings and discussion in Spanish
7:00 p.m. - Write Out Loud Café Lip Service with Andrea Askowitz and Joe Clifford
N.E. Second Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Streets
Lip Service will feature eight South Florida authors and poetry writers sharing true stories within eight minutes.
7:30 p.m. - An Evening with Caroline Kennedy
Chapman Auditorium, Room 3210
Former first-daughter Caroline Kennedy will share stories from A Family Christmas. The book is a collection of Christmas poetry, prose, scriptural readings, and lyrics that are most dear to Ms. Kennedy. Among the collection are some personal family treasures including a Christmas list to Santa Claus written by a young Caroline and a letter from her father John F. Kennedy, written during his presidency to a child concerned about Santa’s well-being. Families are welcome. Stand-by tickets available on site.
8:00 p.m. – Cuban author and columnist Carlos Alberto Montaner
Batten Room 2106, Building Two
Readings and discussion in Spanish
The Miami Book Fair International is made possible through the generous support of the State of Florida and the National Endowment for the Arts; the City of Miami; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; Miami Dade County Public Schools; the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau; the Miami Downtown Development Authority; and the Friends of the Fair. Corporate sponsors as of this date include: Chrysler Jeep, Target, AARP, American Airlines, Bank of America, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Publix Super Markets Charities, Starbucks, Miami Parking Authority, Miami-Dade Transit, Southern Vines, Inc., Big Chef, Octavio Taylor Nurseries and The Raleigh Hotel. Media sponsors include: The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, CBS4 and MY33, Univision23 and Telefutura69, WQBA 1140AM, WAQI 710 AM, WAMR FM 107.5, La Kalle 98.3 FM, Comcast, Diario las Américas, 940 WINZ, NewsRadio 610 WIOD, The New York Times, Miami New Times, WLRN Public Radio and Television, WPBT Channel 2, 88.9 FM Serious Jazz, Plum TV, Mother & Daughter Magazine, FUEL Outdoors, Caribbean Today, Coral Gables Gazette, and the Welcome Channel.
For more information on these events contact: Miami Book Fair International at (305) 237-3258 or visit www.miamibookfair.com.
Media-only contacts: Juan Mendieta, MDC director of communications, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu; Beverly C. Rodrigues, MDC director of media relations, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu; Alejandro Rios, MDC media specialist, 305-237-7482, arios1@mdc.edu or Lisa Palley, 305-642-3132, lpalley@bellsouth.net.