Miami Book Fair International puts a spotlight on the weirdness of life in Florida this year.
“Both new and exciting this year is The Swamp,” said Lisette Mendez, director of programs at The Center for Writing and Literature @ Miami Dade College. “It’s a pop-up venue all dedicated to Florida writers and musicians [with] live music during the weekend.”
The Swamp will occupy a tent on the southeast corner of N.E. 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue and feature an array of multimedia presentations. Presenters will include Oscar Fuentes—the Biscayne Poet— readings from Jai Alai literary magazine, and musical performance by the Spam Allstars.
That is a small sample of what is on deck for the 31st annual MBFI. The event brings bright tents, teaming with books and acclaimed authors to Wolfson Campus, November 16 through 23. The popular Street Fair with wall to wall author talks takes place November 21 through 23. There is free admission the first Friday of the Street Fair. The last two days are free for children aged 12 and under, $5 for those aged 13 to 18 and $8 for all others.
Among the major authors participating at the year’s Book Fair: Alexander McCall Smith, Patricia Cornwell, Anne Rice, Barbara Ehrenreich, Nicholas Kristof and Joyce Carol Oates.
Participants at this year’s community engagement project, #6WordsMiami—where members of the community were invited to share six words about the Magic City—will have the chance to develop their stories alongside Miami Herald photographer Carl Juste. He will choose a few stories — from the nearly 7,000 submissions — to spotlight through photography following an open mic to be held at the Swamp.
A new partnership between the Knight Foundation’s Knight Arts Challenge and the Center for Writing and Literature @ Miami Dade College is funding the Swamp and an international children’s theatre festival called “Play Time!” as well as live-streamed discussions on the Amazon Effect and trends in publishing and literary culture.
Tom Healy, a renowned poet, former New York gallery owner and former chairman of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board at the US Department of State, will serve as the new executive director for the Center for Writing and Literature @ Miami Dade College. He replaces Alina Interian, who retired after 25 years at the College.
The Book Fair’s inaugural event will be hosted at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, Flagler Street and 2nd Avenue, at 5 p.m. on Nov. 16. The show is a collaboration between This American Life radio host Ira Glass and dance choreographer Monica Bill Barnes, which will feature restaged radio interviews and life stories from each of the performers.
