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Kensington Celebrates the International Day of the Book Festival
The Book as Literature * The Book as Art * The Book as Music

 
Sunday April 25th 2010, 11am-4pm
Howard Avenue, Old Town Kensington
Celebrate the Book * Street Festival * Rain or Shine


Please support the 2011 Festival
We need your help to keep the festival an annual event and to make next year's even better!

The Kensington Day of the Book Festival depends on the generosity of our friends and sponsors. Your contribution to the festival is tax-deductible. All contributions go towards the success of the festival, and it's continued growth.

Please make your contribution payable to: Kensington Book Festival
And mail to: Kensington Book Festival, 3786 Howard Ave,
Kensington Md 20895

If you or your company are interested in becoming festival sponsors, we would love to talk to you! We offer promotional benefits at different levels of sponsorship.

Please contact Elisenda Sola-Sole at kensingtonbookfestival@gmail.com or call 301-949-9416 for more information.

Thank you for your support! It is so much appreciated!



Highlights

See the Schedule of Events

This afternoon street festival celebrates the International Day of the Book with live music, author readings, open mic, activities for children and adults, storytellers, ...and books, books, books! Local authors, bookartists, publishers, booksellers, and literary groups line Howard Ave in Historic Old Town Kensington to show, sell, and discuss their works. All activities are free, rain or shine. Come celebrate with us!


Please
support the
Festival

All donations are tax-deductible.
Day of the Book
Poem by Richard Rice

Welcome to the Kensington Day of the Book
       Community is all about unity and sharing
Our town is a mixture of different cultures,
       Interests and ways of thinking
Today, we join together; for celebration
       Bound together by a common thread
A celebration of literature, poetry,
       Spoken word and even the laughter of
Children watching and listening to fantasy;
       Music played by various instruments
Strolling our street or in front of the Book Shop
       Be it spoken, sung or shared
In many other forms; there is a joining of spirits
       One common goal and joy of communication
Come then; let us celebrate this day together!


INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE BOOK
Welcome to Old Town Kensington's Celebration
of the International Day of the Book.

      April twenty-third (the festival is on the nearest Sunday) is a symbolic day in world literature. Declared as International Day of the Book by UNESCO in 1995, this celebration of books and literature draws its inspiration from a Catalan tradition, the Festival of the Rose.
      Legend has it that Saint George, Patron Saint of Catalonia (Spain) and international knight-errant, slew a dragon about to devour a beautiful Catalan princess. From the dragon's blood sprouted a rosebush, from which the hero plucked the prettiest rose for the princess. Hence the traditional Rose Festival celebrated in Barcelona since the Middle Ages to honor chivalry and love. In 1923, this lover's "festa" became even more poetic when it merged with "el dia del llibre", or The Day of the Book, to mark the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, the two giants of literary history, on April 23, 1616.
      On this day in Barcelona, bookstalls and street festivities run the length of the picturesque La Rambla, the old city's main boulevard and, according to the Spanish author Garcia Lorca, "the only street in the world which I wish would never end".
       The Pauli Bellet Foundation Catalan Library, the Town of Kensington, and all our wonderful sponsors, invite you to celebrate this wonderful day on Howard Ave, our "La Rambla".

Links for further reading about The International Day of the Book:
World Book and Copyright Day at UNESCO

Live Music Featuring:

J.P. McDermott & Western Bop
www.westernbop.com
Back before they called it rock and roll they called it Western Bop. We're talking about high-energy rockabilly, tear-in-your-beer ballads, and hell-raising honky tonk all rolled into one exciting package. The Washington Post calls it "Honky Tonk the way it should be."
Time: 1:00-3:00
Location: In front of Prevention of Blindness Antique Shop

Mark Wenner's Kensington Blues
All-Stars
The band features Big Joe Maher on drums, Dan Hovey and Keith Grimes on guitars, Matt Spielman on bass, and Mark Wenner of the world-renowned Nighthawks on harmonica. Everyone will take a turn on lead vocals. Keith lives just over the line in Chevy Chase, and Big Joe is a ringer from over the Bay Bridge, but everyone else is a Kensington resident!
Time: 3:00-4:30
Location: In front of Prevention of Blindness Antique Shop
Doris Justis
Doris Justis returns to Day of the Book with special guest, Sean McGhee in their duo, SIDE BY SIDE. The duo celebrated their 25th Anniversary in 2009! Their close vocal harmonies and guitars back their original songs and interpretations of the best songwriters. The duo has shared the stage with the Chad Mitchell Trio, Bill Danoff, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary, Schooner Fare, Tom Paxton and many others. They have appeared at the Birchmere, Kennedy Center, Starland Cafe and the list goes on. Both Doris and SIDE BY SIDE have performed at the Town of Kensington's Summer Concert Series and at the Garrett Park Town Hall. Together and separately, there are nine recordings.
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 and 3:00-4:00 | Location: In front of Cafe 1894


Kensington Book Festival | 3786 Howard Ave, Kensington MD 20895 | 301-949-9416 | kensingtonbookfestival@gmail.com

Website created by Debi Hammack