Amelia Island Book Festival
Press Release
Diana Frank
Communications Director
September 13, 2021
Visit ameliaislandbookfestival.org to purchase tickets.
The Amelia Island Book Festival, now in its 20th year, is getting an early start to with a kick-off luncheon at Courtyard by Marriott, Amelia Island, scheduled from 11 to 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 21. This brand-new venue provides a spacious dining area with reduced occupancy and distanced seating. To be vigilant against still surfacing Covid outbreaks, the Courtyard follows CDC and corporate guidelines that include rigorous cleaning protocols, purifying systems effective against viruses in the air and on surfaces, hand sanitizing stations and masks for members of staff. The AIBF has reduced the number of tickets by 20% to allow for social distancing.
For this first in-person event of the year, the keynote speaker, New York Times best-selling author Kristy Woodson Harvey, will debut her newest novel Christmas at Peachtree Bluff.
This is the fourth novel in the Peachtree Bluff series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. It features a tightly knit family threatened by a hurricane before Christmas. Publisher Simon and Schuster has arranged for pre-release to luncheon guests. There is still time to go to ameliaislandbookfestival.org to order a signed copy. Also, unsigned copies will be made available for purchase at the luncheon by Story and Song Neighborhood Bookstore Bistro.
Harvey received praise as a major new voice in Southern fiction. She cohosted the Friends and Fiction, a live show on Facebook with Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Pattie Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe. Her work has been optioned for film and television, and she has received numerous awards and accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Parade’s Big Fiction Reads, and Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks. She has written nine novels and makes her home in North Carolina where she is working on her next novel.
A recent addition to the festivities will be violinist Philip Pan, concertmaster of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for 32 years. He began studying piano at age six, took up violin at eight, and received a Master of Music degree from Julliard School. Versatility defines his varied career. He was a member of indie bands Canary in the Coalmine, Folk is People, the Firewater Tent Revival and currently plays in The Swell and Mariachi Prima Costa. His music will contribute to the ambiance before the luncheon.
Also featured will be a scrumptious lunch by Chef Nico Anagnosotu, a cash bar, free parking and easy access. Visit ameliaislandbookfestival.org to purchase tickets.