THE 2022 PRINTERS ROW LIT FEST WILL BE HELD IN CHICAGO’S SOUTH LOOP!

The 37th annual Chicago Lit Fest kicked off Saturday in the city’s Printers Row neighborhood with blocks of books on display. The event, which is free and open to the public, features more than 150 exhibitors selling new, used, and rare books. There are also panels and discussions with authors throughout the weekend.

The largest literary festival in the Midwest attracted hundreds of people for all sorts of independent authors and publishers. This event allowed for these creators to connect with their fans and discuss their work. Many attendees found new favorite books, met their writing idols, and had a fantastic time overall.

“It’s a blessing, you know, there’s so many different creative spaces that we can tap into and so I’m very blessed to be a part of it,” said author Evan Roberts.

Roberts is an educator at Homewood-Flossmoor High School who began penning children’s books several years ago to motivate his son.

He wants to use Lit Fest as a way to inspire both kids and adults to express their emotions through writing and art. He believes that this is a great way for people to connect with each other and share their feelings.

“I think is one of the best things that we can do for them is to show them how to tap into their own god given gifts,” said Roberts.

There’s no doubt that the fest always brings out so much creativity, but the authors say it’s the interaction with their readers that makes this so special. Something they missed during pandemic was being able to connect with their readers on a personal level.

“It’s fantastic to be back and see everybody. You know just the interactivity of everybody just hanging out,” said Christina Ward of Feral House Publishing.

No matter your age or background, you’ll find something for you at this event. That includes different writing workshops, discussions with award winning authors and even some performances for children’s programming. So come on out and enjoy yourself!

“We have a vibrant art community literary community music community,” said Gregorio Gomez. “So as a world class city, we definitely can see it in the diversity of the various authors that are here.”

Read More: ABC7 Chicago