2009 Festival donates $200,000 to promote literacy

Gina Brandt / October 7, 2009

For Immediate Release
For further information, contact:
Gina Brandt (BrandtAdv@aol.com) or Pat Dunham (patdunham@aol.com): (520) 745-9905

Tucson Festival of Books Gives $200,000 to Promote Literacy,
Announces March 13 and 14, 2010 for Second Annual Event

Tucson, AZ (October 7, 2009) -- The Tucson Festival of Books Committee announced the financial success of the inaugural event raising $200,000 for literacy during a press conference October 7. The statement took place at the University of Arizona Bookstore.

Checks were presented to the Literacy for Life Coalition, Reading Seed and the University of Arizona. "This is the real success of the first Tucson Festival of Books. We are able to significantly help promote literacy in our community," said Bill Viner, one of the Festival founders.

"The success of the first Tucson Festival of Books was beyond our expectations," Viner continued. "We are being told that our attendance ranked with the top Book Festivals in the nation. With the Diamond Children's Medical Center signing on as our new presenting sponsor, we expect that this year's Festival will continue to grow and continue to have a positive impact in our community." More than 50,000 people attended the Festival last March.

Viner said that the Festival expects an even bigger turnout of well-known authors for 2010. "J.A. Jance and Elmore Leonard have already told us they will be back next year," Viner said. "We expect to have more major announcements of both new and returning authors very soon." Currently, 400 authors have already committed to the 2010 Festival of Books.

The Second Annual Tucson Festival of Books will be held on the University of Arizona Mall on March 13 and 14, 2010 and will continue to fund local literacy efforts. It will include a large children's area, author presentations and round-tables, book signings, exhibits, food and fun.