Real Good For Free: Spencertown Festival of Books 2011 @ Spencertown Academy, 9/3-5

Woot! This weekend is the sixth annual Festival of Books at Spencertown Academy Arts Center, a celebration of all things literary featuring panel discussions, readings, and book signings by nationally known and local authors, a book-themed gallery exhibition, children’s events – including a visit from favorite storybook characters, the Cookbook Cafe, and more. Best of all, all programs have FREE admission.

This year’s festival includes talks and readings by authors Sena Jeter Naslund, Scott Spencer, Celia Blue Johnson, Nina Sankovitch, Talia Carner, Eileen Rosenthal, Marc Rosenthal, David Ebershoff, Daphne Kalotay, Ghita Schwarz, Jackson Taylor, Conor Grennan, Sebastian Rotella, J. Courtney Sullivan, Judy Staber and Howard Saunders as well as a whole host of readings and activities for children.

At the heart of the Festival is a giant book sale featuring over 10,000 new and gently used books in every category including contemporary and classic fiction, mystery, biography, history, and politics, an extensive collection of art books, as well as cookbooks and gardening titles. There’s also a special Kid’s Corner for young readers and a media rack full of CDs and audio books.

Proceeds from the Festival of Books help to support artsVOYAGE, Spencertown Academy’s extensive arts-in-education partnership with local public schools.

Here’s the full schedule.

MORE REAL GOOD FOR FREE, 2011:

Live at the Bearsville Theater @ the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock (8pm on Mondays)
The SCA Summer Concert Series @ the Outdoor Entertainment Center, South Glens Falls (6:30pm on Tuesdays)
September in the City @ Tricentennial Park, Albany (11:30am on Wednesdays)
Music in the Park @ Dutchman’s Landing, Catskill (7pm on Thursdays)
Garage Bands In the Garage @ Albany Public Library, Albany (6pm on the third Friday of the month)
UpBeat on the Roof @ Skidmore College’s Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs (7pm on Fridays)
Improv Records’ Free Fridays @ Shepard Park, Lake George (7pm on Fridays)
Concerts in the Park @ Riverfront Part, Athens (7pm on Fridays)
Summer Sounds of Salem @ the Main Street Gazebo, Salem (11am on Saturdays)
Sirsy @ Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs (8pm on Sundays)
Frequency North Reading Series @ the College of Saint Rose, Albany (various days)
Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival @ Corning Preserve’s Riverfront Park, Albany (Saturday, September 10)
LarkFest @ Lark Street, Albany (Saturday, September 17)
Jazz at the Lake: Lake George Jazz Weekend @ Shepard Park, Lake George (Saturday-Sunday, September 17-18)
PearlPalooza @ North Pearl Street, Albany (Saturday, September 24)