The 17th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, the largest and most prestigious public literary event in the country, today announced its 2012 program schedule. Returning to the beautiful University of Southern California campus on April 21-22, the Festival is an L.A. institution known for its celebration of the written word in all its forms and is expected to draw more than 150,000 attendees.
Beloved American icon Judy Blume will mark the 40th birthday of her cherished “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” with an appearance, alongside such authors and artists as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julie Andrews, Reza Aslan, Michael Ian Black, T.C. Boyle, John Cusack, Ben Fong-Torres, John Green, Florence Henderson, Ricki Lake, Sugar Ray Leonard, Anne Rice, John Scalzi, Molly Shannon, Wil Wheaton, Betty White and Henry Winkler.
Lively panel discussions will be held covering a broad range of thought-provoking and culturally significant topics, from the upcoming presidential election to the anniversary of the Rodney King trials to the future of reading, many involving appearances and moderating by Times writers and editors. The Times’ Hero Complex, the go-to for all things super-heroic, fantasy and sci-fi, will expand to include screenings of genre films at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and Q&As with prominent comic book publishers. Celebrity appearances, live music, cooking demonstrations, book signings and much more will be held on eight outdoor stages surrounded by hundreds of exhibitors and a variety of dining options.
Tickets available today
Festival general admission is free / panel discussions and lectures have limited seating capacity, and therefore require tickets
Special advance panel pass packages are available before tickets are offered to the general public. These are $30 and include:
Reservations for up to eight panel tickets
Half-price tickets to the 32nd annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes
Friday, April 20 at USC’s Bovard Auditorium
Official 2012 Festival of Books’ poster with artwork designed by prominent illustrator Bob Staake
Option to purchase valet parking passes for an additional $20
Los Angeles Times members have the opportunity to purchase panel passes and Book Prizes tickets at a 50% discount while supplies last
Individual panel tickets available Sunday, April 15 latimes.com/festivalofbooks, $1 service fee applies
Please check the Festival’s official Facebook page and @latimesfob Twitter stream for programming updates. To join in the Twitter conversation, use the #bookfest hashtag. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is presented in association with USC, presenting sponsor Target and major
About the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books was created in 1996 to promote literacy, celebrate the written word, and bring together those who create books with the people who love to read them. More than 140,000 people attend the event annually. General event information is available online at latimesfestivalofbooks.com or by calling 1-800-LA TIMES, ext. 7BOOK. Detailed speaker and event information is available in the official festival program online.
