Waukesha, Wisconsin, June 25, 2020 – Booklovers from around the world can participate in the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books by joining a program of virtual events on Nov. 6 and 7 at sewibookfest.com. The virtual approach puts a new twist on the festival’s tradition of bringing together authors, artists and entertainers. In addition to the Nov. 6 and 7 events, the festival will announce online author sessions taking place at sewibookfest.com.
The free book festival, presented by the UWM at Waukesha Foundation, encourages the public to enjoy presentations and performances from national and Wisconsin authors who share their work in a broad range of genres and topics. This year’s Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books theme is Reimagine, and Barry Wightman, the festival’s program chair, says it’s an expression of the spirit that better things can be achieved when we imagine what is possible.
“Authors open new horizons for us, channeling new perspectives and new ideas through the amazing diversity of books,” Wightman says. “This year, technology converges with creativity in our programming, enabling us to offer the opportunity for anyone, no matter where they are, to attend the 2020 Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books. Guests will enjoy a reimagined, collaborative two-day literary event with high-quality authors, just as it’s been for the past 11 years. On top of that, we’re hosting online events with our bestselling authors. It’ll be very cool.”
Watch for forthcoming announcements about the festival’s keynote presenter – New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg – as well as online author events, including panels featuring local and national authors and artists. Wightman notes that virtual event audiences are growing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he cites adaptiveness as the key to hosting a successful event during this unprecedented year.
“Attending the 2020 Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books will be easy,” Wightman says. “There’s no travel involved, and guests can join just as simply as watching a program on TV from the comfort of their home.”
The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books’ theme inspires the Century Fence Student Essay Contest, which is open to all middle and high school students in Waukesha County. To be eligible for cash prizes up to $250, students must submit an original essay based on the theme Reimagine.
The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is seeking funding to facilitate a new interactive online platform. Learn more about supporting the festival at www.sewibookfest.com/support/donate/. Visit sewibookfest.com or email info@sewibookfest.com to find continuously updated information about the 2020 festival.
About the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books
The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is a project of the UWM at Waukesha Foundation and brings the UWM at Waukesha campus and community together to promote literacy and foster creativity at a free annual public event. Local, state and national authors, artists and educators collaborate and contribute to encourage intergenerational reading and learning. Festival sponsors make the event possible through their private support.
About the UWM at Waukesha Foundation
The UWM at Waukesha Foundation supports the campus and the academic activities of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Waukesha by raising, receiving and distributing funds to benefit and assist students, faculty, programs and community partners. The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is central to the foundation’s mission of providing free and equitable access to educational and cultural experiences for all of its audiences.
