Kingston Book Festival Is On for March 2018

Last year’s Kingston Book Festival (KBF) was a blast. You may remember some of my posts and the photographs. Now, the Book Industry Association of Jamaica has taken the decision to hold the next KBF in March, 2018. You can rest assured it will be something to look forward to! Please see the KBF’s announcement below.

Do get in touch with KBF now if you are interested in participating in any way (and sponsors are always welcome!) Also, do “like” the KBF Facebook page for more information, interesting articles on Jamaican/Caribbean writers, literary quotes (regular postings!) And follow on Twitter @Kgnbookfest.

The Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ) has successfully staged the Kingston Book Festival (KBF) annually since its launch in 2012. The traditionally week-long festival, supported by various partners and members of the creative community, culminates with a large outdoor book fair.

The next edition of KBF is scheduled for March 2018. This decision was made following a recent strategic session where the BIAJ Board of Directors, after careful consideration, decided to host the Festival biennially to better facilitate the required levels of planning and fundraising of this mainly volunteer-led event.

The 2016 edition highlighted the success of Jamaican literature in the international arena and provided a platform for showcasing the potential and work of Jamaica’s authors, publishing houses, bookstores and local libraries. Olive Senior’s Pain Tree, which was launched at KBF 2016, went on to win the OCM Bocas Prize (Fiction) that year.

Jamaicans enjoy a free lunchtime poetry reading in New Kingston during the Kingston Book Festival. Standing (in red) is award-winning St. Lucian poet Vladimir Lucien, who participated in the Festival. (My photo)

The fourth staging provided a series of exciting events promoting reading among adults and children, increased awareness of Jamaican books and sought to strengthen the capacity of the local industry in a fun, festive environment while showcasing Kingston’s rich and vibrant culture. KBF has significantly contributed to positioning the city as a major hub in the regional publishing and arts community. We plan to build on this by further deepening our strategic relationships to position KBF as a must-attend event for visitors to the island and members of the international publishing community.

We are proud of the growth and development of the Festival and look forward to your continued support in 2018. Please stay connected and look out for updates at https://www.facebook.com/KingstonBookFestival/. If you are interested in participating, exhibiting or supporting #KBF2018 as a sponsor, send us an email at kgnbookfest@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

A celebration of our culture: The Akwaaba Drummers set the mood for the launch of Olive Senior’s “The Pain Tree” at the University of the West Indies during Kingston Book Festival. (My photo)