More than 25 independent literary presses will be participating in the Second Annual Midwest Small Press Festival, a unique and varied event that will be held in Milwaukee over the weekend of May 31-June 2. The affair will feature a book fair, readings and live performances by numerous authors, as well as a closing brunch, all held in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. On Friday, the festival kicks off at 6:30 p.m. with an opening reception at Woodland Pattern Book Center (720 E. Locust St.) featuring readings by Dana Ward and Cathy Wagner.
Festivities continue on Saturday with the Small Press Book Fair from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Falcon Bowl (801 E. Clarke St.), where small presses from throughout the Midwest will have titles on display and for sale. On Saturday night, Bremen Cafe (901 E. Clarke St.) will play host to an open mic sponsored by UW-Milwaukee’s undergraduate journal Furrow from 4-6 p.m., while People’s Books Cooperative (804 E. Center St.) will feature a tribute to James Hazard hosted by Keith Gaustad beginning at 6 p.m., followed by evening performances presented by Strange Cage, Midwestern Gothic and Curbside Splendor.
Concurrently, Cocoon Room (820 E. Locust St.) will feature a variety of performances by small presses, including Horse Less, Sunnyoutside and Plumberries, from 8-11 p.m. Sunday winds down with a potluck, spelling bee, and literary trivia at The Public House (815 E. Locust St.) from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. All events are free and open to the public, so head out to Riverwest to support the performers, literary presses and local businesses.
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