The National Reading Festival is a project of the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Education…I was involved in organizing readings of local authors for the first one (though through an organizational snafoo (translation: we got kicked out of the VIP to accomodate a guest presenter and I was pretty pissed about it at the time) it ended up being abridged readings…still it became an annual event and one worth sharing…so here it is:
Opening ceremony; among those pictured are author S E James (in black) who was on the organizing committee.
Jolyon Byerly reading from his book Shadows on the Moon: A Lizard and Bungle Adventure. His reading ran longer than scheduled but look at their faces, they don't seem to mind.
Kush is always on it. He, Mary Quinn and Joy Lawrence were among the other local authors I was able to book for the event who got a chance to present before we were booted.
He made the most of his limited time and did a good job of engaging the kids.
I forget what this was called but the kids clearly enjoyed it.
The Festival which became an annual event actually has a lot of fun diversions for young people of all ages, the teens especially seem to enjoy the reading and re-write and dramatization contests, plus there are interactive display areas…I’ve even been back to read though with so many bodies and so much noise and the readings being scheduled in an open area, I’m not sure anyone heard me.
Wadadli Pen 