After a successful first year, the Gold Coast Book Fair is back and bigger than ever. The festival, which will be held from May 16 to 18, will feature keynote speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Ron Chernow and expects crowds of over 5,000.
Last year’s festival was the first-annual book fair, attracting over 3,000 visitors to Long Island University and the downtown Oyster Bay area, making itself the largest literary event on Long Island, according to the fair’s website.
The festival was started by former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, who said that throughout his service, bookstores served as his “sanctuary from politics.” After his time in politics was finished, he said he wanted to start a new chapter and opened Theodore’s Books, a local bookstore in the heart of downtown Oyster Bay.
He said the fair reached out to Long Island University, which got on board and hosted a variety of the festival’s programs at their campus in Brookville. This year, the weekend-long event features author panels, discussions, book signings and an outdoor marketplace with local vendors.
Israel said he was inspired to start the book fair after his experience speaking at festivals across the country.
“I’ve written several books, and I had the pleasure of speaking about those books at literary festivals all over the country,” Israel said. “And I say, firsthand, how those festivals help boost the local economy.”
In addition to bringing thousands into the community, he said book festivals help local residents get access to “world-renowned authors.”
Israel said he was told to expect approximately 1,000 visitors in the festvial’s first year, but that goal was surpassed with 3,300 attendees last year. This year, he said the festival expects 5,500 visitors.
After seeing how many people the festival attracted last year, Israel said the fair looked to expand its genres and bring new and exciting authors to the area.
“The most important objective was just having fresh authors with new releases,” Israel said.
Chernow will discuss his newest biography, “Mark Twain,” and headlining author Gretchen Rubin will discuss her new book, “Secrets of Adulthood.” Chernow’s discussion will be on Friday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m., and Rubin’s on Saturday, May 17 at 12:30, both at LIU Post.
Both authors have made bestseller lists, and Israel said their content is “new and interesting, entertaining and fresh.”
Chernow, whose book “Alexander Hamilton” inspired the Broadway musical, has won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for his biographies, and he is the recipient of nine honorary doctorates, according to his website.
Israel said the festival sought to expand the variety of authors in attendance, showcasing mystery, romance, fiction, children’s titles and the sports genre this year.
Israel said this year, one of his most anticipated authors is Art Shamsky from the New York Mets’ famous 1969 team, who will be signing his book, “Mets Stories I Only Tell My Friends.”
Hoping to appeal to the whole family, Israel said there will be events for children and adults. A separate ‘kids schedule’ is available on the festival’s website with information on picture books, graphic novels and young adult author events.
For more information on the festival schedule and visiting authors, please visit goldcoastforum.org/goldcoastbookfair.
