Going to the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books can be one of the best things you do for yourself!
We want you to enjoy hearing the speakers, meeting the authors and buying books for yourself or for gifts. There are many choices with 60 AUTHORS and 28 PRESENTATIONS. Here’s how you can get ready. Use the links to get more information about each program.
GETTING THERE
The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is held at UWM AT WAUKESHA, 1500 N. University Dr. Waukesha 53188. All the parking lots at the Festival are free and open to the public—no matter what the signs say. Make sure you have comfortable shoes to walk the Festival. It’s all under one roof and on one level, but that roof extends through four campus buildings.
REVIEW THE PROGRAM
Decide what you want to attend using this website. Printed programs will be available at all the Information Tables throughout the Festival, but you can use this website now to get a jump on your choices.
Friday is opening night. You can come at 7 pm for the Keynote by Author Lawrence Tabak on his book, Foxconned. This is a free program. Or you can come from 5 pm to 6:30 pm for the BMO Authors and Presenters Reception. The reception has a ticket fee of $15 for food and beverages. You can purchase tickets online at https://uawf.betterworld.org/events/festival-books-authors-presenter or call 262-521-5570.
During the reception, student writers will be awarded over $7,000 in prize money. The First Place winners will read some of their work.
Begin your day with the 9 am Koffee Keynote. Free coffee and donuts will be available in the Hub at 8:45 am. Kathie Giorgio and her daughter, Olivia Giorgio, will talk about their live experience with Autism, the subject of their book, and be interviewed by Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Book Editor.
Here’s where you need to make choices:
Session 1 – 10:15 am to 11:15 am There are five programs during Session 1. The link will take you to the list.
Session 2 – 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm
Session 3 – 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm
Session 4 – 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm
There are six programs in each of Sessions 2, 3 and 4. The links will take you to the listings.
A half-hour break between sessions will enable the authors from each session to be in the Commons Lounge where you can buy their books from Books & Company and get them signed.
WHAT’S GOING ON ALL DAY?
Don Taylor Writers Marketplace and Exhibits, Commons and Hallways
You will find 20 authors who have written and published their books and are now selling them.
United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Book Drive for Emerging Readers, Library
You can donate a book to a young reader through the United Way. The books are for sale at the Books & Company tables in the Commons. Wrap them up and write a note of encouragement in the Library.
University of Wisconsin Press Exhibit, “We Will Always Be Here,” available between sessions in N125.
Book Festival Raffle, Commons Entrance. Raising funds to keep the Festival a free event is always a challenge. You can help by buying a raffle ticket to win baskets of books and other items.
DON’T FORGET LUNCH
Chef Pat’s Tasty Eats will be open from 8 am to 2:30 pm.
During the 11:15 am to 12:15 pm lunch break, Candy Decker and Phil Smith will present the Cabaret they created for Waukesha Reads this year. You won’t want to miss it.
