It takes around 900 volunteers to pull off the festival. You can work one or multiple shifts. You can choose what and where you want to work. You can work in the children’s tent, inside the capital, over in the Austin Museum of Art (with me). You can be an Author Escort or a monitor. You can work the Entertainment Tent or the Cooking Tent or the Austin Museum of Art (with me). You can work the signing tent, the volunteer tent, the bookseller’s tent, or the Austin Museum of Art (guess who heads up that venue?). You can ask to work where your favorite author is speaking.
You get to wear a special t-shirt identifying yourself as a Volunteer. You get to help set up and break down (and, man, do I appreciate those who help me set up and break down!), if you choose those shifts. You get free coffee as a volunteer. And once your shift is over, you can wander around, meeting people, watching panels and bands, buying books and getting autographs. Plus, you help out Texas libraries.
To whet your appetite for the Festival, be sure you check out the list of scheduled authors.
If you’re there and don’t volunteer for a shift at the Austin Museum of Art (with me), at least stop by and say hello.
Oh my stars, Helen. This is amazing! I just looked at the festival site and the list of authors...Wow! Will Laura Bush be there? Bless her for starting this nearly 15 years ago. But I must say, I couldn't stop looking at the poster. It must be unbelievable up close. Too bad I'm 1600 miles away :-( I would have loved to help out.
ReplyDeleteI love the poster, too, Lisa. At our meeting last night, we got to see it up close and I took a copy home.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Bush doesn't usually show up, but she's always been active in the background. This year she helped considerably with a kick-off fundraiser since we had lost a major sponsor due to the economy.
That's a lot of volunteers! And, what an impressive list of authors. I love book fairs and like Lisa, I wish this one wasn't so wasn't so far away.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a huge weekend! Hope you have a great time. Wish I could make it.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Helen, If I was in the area I would be there with bells on...or spurs.
ReplyDeleteAlan, you would fit right in.
ReplyDeleteIt will be a huge weekend. We take over the Capitol, the grounds and surrounding streets, as well as off-site venues. Tons of books, exhibitors, entertainment. It's a lot of fun.
Karen, that actually sounds like fun. Take a tape recorder with you. There's no telling what you hear.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time, I'm so close. But we have a big Halloween birthday in our family, and the celebration will be that same weekend. I'm sorry to miss it.
ReplyDeleteIt is a huge weekend. Sorry I can't volunteer, but I am responsible for the Heart of Texas chapter of Sisters in Crime booth. Last year we sold lots of books to folks. All members of Sisters in Crime is welcome to sell at our booth. They just need to contact me for details. It is great fun!
ReplyDeleteWish I could be there - sounds like a great event. But go, do, and get the T-shirt, my friend! Make sure and post a report, ok?
ReplyDeleteMarvin D Wilson
I would love to attend the festival but am still up to my eyelids in packing boxes.
ReplyDeleteI'll be interviewing C.J. "Chuck" Box at Mysterious People when he returns from his Mexican fishing trip and I wondered whether you and your visitors would like to ask him a question. If so, please email me at Seniorsleuth@aol.com.
Jean
http://mysteriouspeople.blogspot.com/
What a wonderful event! Volunteers are the life blood of so many things...said the person living in the city about to host the Winter Olympics.
ReplyDeleteWish I could be part of your festival!
Elspeth
Talk about something that probably needs a ton of volunteers! That's the Olympics, Elspeth!
ReplyDeleteI wish all of you could be here for the TX Book Fest, too.
Wish I could get away for the Fest, but it is the weekend of my husband's birthday. Hate to leave him alone for that. And since his health is not great, I usually don't leave him alone overnight, and Austin is too far for a day trip.
ReplyDeleteOh, I remember this. I lived in the Austin area for a time. Too far away for me, Helen. If I was still there, I'd volunteer for sure.
ReplyDeleteI like where you're set up. :-)
So that all of you won't feel left out, after the Festival weekend, I'll give a wrap up of the events at AMOA. (Won't be able to tell you about the rest of the events since I never leave AMOA all weekend!)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could be there. I have a sister and brother-in-law who live in Austin, but the earliest I could visit is Christmas and perhaps not even then. Bummer, because this event sounds like a blast.
ReplyDeleteHaving relations here, Jack, makes you weird. (That's good. Austin's motto is Keep Austin Weird.) You're a native by extension.
ReplyDeleteAny excuse is a good one.
ReplyDelete