The Gaithersburg Book Festival is an annual celebration of great books and great writing that is fast becoming one of the nation’s top literary events, taking place May 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the grounds of Gaithersburg City Hall (31 S. Summit Ave.).

The festival will feature more than 80 featured best-selling and award-winning authors – including Pulitzer Prize winners Buzz Bissinger and Steve Coll; Nero and Shamus winner Brad Parks; James A. Michener Prize winner Tom McNeal; 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Adam Hochschild; 2012 Edgar Award finalists Len Rosen, Steve Ulfelder, and Sheela Chari; 2010 National Book Award finalist Laura McNeal; best-sellers including Andrew Clements, Fred Bowen, Michael Buckley, Jane Green, Siobhan Fallon, John Feinstein, Jen Lancaster, Sarah Pekkanen ; and prominent journalists including Marvin and Deborah Kalb, and Jim Lehrer. Authors will participate in discussions and book signings throughout the day.

Other festival highlights include a spotlight on local authors, Children’s Village, a coffee house featuring performances by poets and singer/songwriters, announcement of short story contest winners, exhibitors with literary wares and on-site sales of new and used books. Visitors to the festival also have the opportunity to participate in a range of interactive, hands-on workshops on a variety of topics.

The Gaithersburg Book Festival is presented in partnership with Politics & Prose, Friends of the Library, the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, Johns Hopkins University – Montgomery County Campus, John Hopkins University M.A. in Writing Program, Washingtonian Center, Whole Foods and Writopia Lab, with grant support from the Maryland State Arts Council.

Admission, parking and handicap -accessible shuttle buses are FREE. The festival will be held rain or shine. For more information, to sign up for workshops, to receive our e-newsletter, or to volunteer, please visit [url="http://www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org/"]www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org[/url].

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