“The point of everything that I do is that words have power,” New York Times Bestselling Author TJ Klune said in the opening keynote of the Bookmarks Festival.
As I looked around at the other attendees, it was clear that his statement was accurate. Each year, thousands of people gather in Winston-Salem for the Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors, which had its 19th anniversary this year. Words hold the unique power to unite thousands of strangers into an instant community, one that draws readers back year after year.
“It’s that community aspect that people really love and enjoy,” Festival Marketing Manager Juliana Reyes said. “It’s getting to meet other people who like the same books as them and want to talk about the same books as them.”
The opening keynote was a packed event, despite the rain and hurricane warnings. People shuffled into the First Baptist Church on the night of Thursday, Sept. 26 with their umbrellas dripping water onto the wooden pews and signed copies of Klune’s latest book, “Somewhere Beyond the Sea.” The room felt alive and electric despite the dreary weather.
Along with talking about his books, Klune spent a large portion of his keynote advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, specifically speaking about trans rights and the necessity of fighting against anti-trans legislation.
“What is the point of having a platform if I’m not going to fight for my community?” Klune said.
It’s no surprise that this year’s festival gravitated toward politics, since the presidential election is coming up. This year, the organization’s Book with a Purpose initiative focused on voting rights, promoting the book “One Person, No Vote” by Carol Anderson. Volunteers handed out copies of the book to attendees walking through the tents in downtown Winston-Salem on Saturday. This book was chosen to encourage everyone to speak out about their beliefs and to shed light on racial discrimination in voter suppression laws.
“We want people to be informed that your voice is important and your work is important,” Reyes said. “We want to help elevate [these conversations.]”
Book with a Purpose isn’t the only service that the nonprofit provides for Winston-Salem. This year, Bookmarks was able to donate 4,000 books to local schools to encourage literacy and a love of learning in children. Unfortunately, Authors In Schools, the facet of the nonprofit that provides free author visits to local schools, was canceled this year due to Hurricane Helene.
Although the hurricane diminished this year’s attendance, the festival still garnered an impressive estimate of 16,000 attendees. The energy in downtown Winston-Salem was palpable on Saturday morning, and there were opportunities of all ages to have fun.
Children and their parents rode on miniature train cars around the closed-off streets. Thousands flocked to the bright white tents of authors and local culture hubs such as The Little Theatre and The Arts Council. There was even a face painting station, tents selling jewelry and an author-signing tent, which was by far the most popular.
I walked down Spruce Street and talked to some of the authors, many of whom are self-published. Not only does this event connect readers to their favorite authors, but allows authors to connect with readers and promote their work. It shines a light on smaller authors, promoting greater visibility and diversity in readers’ choice of books. After getting all my book recommendations from TikTok for the past few years, it was refreshing to discover new books offline.
This was my first time at the festival, but it definitely won’t be my last. It strikes the perfect balance between lighthearted fun and honest conversation about the state of the world. As the November election nears, remember that words have power. Use yours.
