The LRJF Book Fest is a literary marketplace at the Vero Beach Book Center, run by the Laura (Riding) Jackson Foundation. The foundation preserves the historic home of the poet and writer Laura (Riding) Jackson. It also runs writers’ groups, summer camps, workshops, and poetry festivals for writers of all ages in Indian River County.
More than 40 authors set up tables with their published books. Visitors can drop in at any point during the event, talk with the writers, and buy books directly from them. Every author keeps 100% of the proceeds from their own sales. The foundation also shares information about its literary programs for children, teens, and adults. If you have been thinking about publishing your own work, the event includes details on how to become a published author.
The program opens with a book launch from LRJF Press, the foundation’s publishing arm. Local writers are celebrated as new authors, and the crowd is then free to browse the tables. Food trucks and live music keep the afternoon moving. There is plenty of free parking, and the bookstore’s air-conditioned interior and restrooms are open to visitors.
Authors and vendors who want a display table must register in advance and review the organizer’s info packet before signing up. The bookstore sits near Downtown Vero Beach, so you can pair a morning or afternoon of book shopping with a walk through the shops and cafes nearby. For more local happenings, browse Vero Beach events.