The Tucson Festival of Books isn't just for old-school page turners anymore.
This year's fourth annual festival on the University of Arizona Mall, which wrapped up Sunday, featured technology demonstrations for bibliophiles who prefer e-reading; mobile apps for the iPhone, Android and Kindle Fire; and a greatly expanded Science City with an array of techno activities, authors and tours of the UA Mirror Lab.
"In terms of the exhibitors, venues, authors, I think the quality of everything is very, very high," Bill Viner, one of the festival founders, said.
Though festival organizers haven't yet tallied the numbers, Viner estimated festival attendance was up by 15 percent over last year.
The festival raises money for local literacy programs. During the first three years, the festival has raised $500,000.
People are also reading…
Organizers already have a date for the 2013 festival: March 9 and 10. Anyone interested in volunteering can go to tucsonfestivalofbooks.org.
Tucson ranks among the top five book festivals in the United States:
1. Miami Book Festival International - 8 days, 300 authors, 250,000 attendees
2. National Book Festival, Washington, D.C. - 1 day, 60 authors, 130,000 attendees
3. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books - 2 days, 400 authors, 130,000 attendees
4. Tucson Festival of Books - 2 days, 450 authors, 100,000 attendees
5. Decatur Book Festival, Georgia - 3 days, 300 authors, 70,000 attendees
By the numbers
100,000-plus book lovers in attendance
450 writers and panelists
300 presentations, discussions, workshops, storytelling and culinary demonstrations
250 exhibitors
1,500 volunteers
Contact reporter Kimberly Matas at kmatas@azstarnet.com or at 573-4191.
