Arkansas Literary Festival starts next week

The annual Arkansas Literary Festival gets started April 8th in Downtown Little Rock. The festival, which is run by the Central Arkansas Library System, runs through April 11th at various venues in and around the Central Arkansas Library's Main campus on Rock St. Festivities include workshops, author readings and presentations, a meet-and-greet with nationally renowned authors, exhibits on book art, and poetry contest among other things. Of particular interest to this foodie is the panel discussion on the Oxford American Southern Food Issue, presented by Lolis Elie, author of Smokestack Lightning: Adventures in the Heart of Barbeque Country; Brett Anderson, food critic for the New Orleans Times-Picayune; and freelance writer Sam Eifling. The literary festival also offers programs on building puppets, teaching chess to kids, origami workshops, and more.

For a complete schedule of events and venues, visit http://www.arkansasliteraryfestival.org/