Big crowds at first day of Tucson Festival of Books

The festival hit the ground running on Saturday, bringing everything from books to music to a giant inflatable heart to the University of the Arizona mall. It continues Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is free to attend.

Saturday featured various panels where authors got to speak about topics they are passionate about, such as sports, photography and animals. At the Integrated Learning Center, people piled into a classroom for the monster panel.

Four horror authors told festival-goers what makes the perfect monster. They discussed vampires, zombies, ghost experiences and tales from a stay at a haunted mansion during the hour-long panel.

Throughout Saturday morning, music played while people of all ages walked around the mall. Among those in the crowd were ballet folklorico dancers, Disney princesses and elephant and pig mascots posing with children. Giant crossword puzzles also were stationed around the mall where people got to stop by and put their minds together to solve the puzzle.

The festival's Science City also drew a crowd. Visitors could choose from four science neighborhoods, participate in hands-on activities, watch science demos and meet science authors.

The 14th annual festival this year features about 300 authors, 300 presentations and 200 vendors. About 125,000 people are expected to attend the two-day festival. Since 2009, TFOB has donated over $2 million to agencies that work to improve literacy in the community.

Sunday’s biggest panels will feature legendary singer and Tucson native Linda Ronstadt and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, though seats to see either could be hard to get.

Ronstadt will be discussing her memoir she co wrote with Lawrence Downes: “Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands.”

Sanders and his co author John Nichols will also be holding a panel where they will discuss his new book, “It’s OK to be Angry About Capitalism.”