Amelia Island Book Festival

Tom Swick (A Way to See the World)
I've been to a number of book fairs and yours has a wonderful (and rare) combination of friendliness and sophistication. I was very happy to be a small part of it. Thanks...for all your hard work in making it such a success...

About AIBF

"It's a lofty goal, but don't be surprised when Amelia Island, Florida, becomes the 'Book Island of America.'"

Donald K. Parker, Co-Founder and Past President

The origin of the "Book Island"

In 2001, Amelia Island residents Don and Andrea Parker and Joani and Joe Selement dreamed up a tantalizing idea - mixing the lure of books with a spectacular natural environment surrounded by water.

They gathered supporters to found a non-profit organization celebrating the written word, and the group launched the Amelia Island Book Festival. The Festival takes place the first weekend of October in Fernandina Beach, the historic town on Amelia Island.

"We set out to create an affordable, lively event promoting two concepts - that reading is great fun, and good writing makes good reading," Joani Selement explains. She knew the story of Hay-on-Wye, a hamlet where Welsh book-lovers launched their Book Town movement in 1988. Today, that little village overflows with shops and stalls attracting hordes of bibliophiles. "We wanted to go one better - being unique as the Book Island," says Don Parker, Co-Founder.

At the Book Festival, renowned authors, writers and readers mingle informally at readings, talks, discussions and socials. A vital part of the Festival is the "Authors-in-Schools" Day, which brings writers, poets and storytellers into the schools, allowing local children to meet and talk with people who make their living with words and literature.

The festival, scheduled for Oct. 4-7, 2007, offers an informal, friendly setting for readers to meet and talk with authors, and for writers to meet others in their field, along with agents and publishers.

It all takes place in the ambiance of Fernandina Beach, the historic harbor town that is the jewel of the "Book Island." Europeans discovered Amelia, a 13-mile-long barrier island, four centuries ago. Reached by bridge from the mainland, it's just north of Jacksonville on Florida's northeast coast.

The Festival is dedicated to promoting literacy by showing that reading is fun and worthwhile. The Amelia Island Book Festival is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 organization and donations are tax-deductible.

2008 Board of Directors

Susan Siegmund, President

Billy Powell, Vice President

Mary Pitcher, Secretary

Susan Steger, Treasurer

Tom Basore, Past President

Shannon Brown

John Carr

Attavia Facciolo

Cynthia Griffith

Ron Miller

Don Parker

Peggy Stanton

Virginia White

Festival Founders

Don and Andrea Parker

Joe and Joani Selement

Festival Director

Terri Wright

Awards

Don and Andrea Parker and Joani and Joe Selement, for founding the Amelia Island Book Festival, have been honored with the 2006 Literacy Matters - Heart of Gold Group Award, presented by Volunteer Jacksonville Inc.

The award goes to an outstanding volunteer group in northeast Florida that has made an exceptional effort to promote literacy in the community.

Don and Andrea Parker

This is a well-deserved recognition of the founders, who had the vision and put in countless hours of effort for what has become a recognized regional literary event. The two couples accepted the award at the Celebration of Service Awards Evening on April 6 at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts.

Joani and Joe Selement

The Festival also received The President's Volunteer Service Award, from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation and USA Freedom Corps.