With support from Weber Books Links, the Utah Humanities Book Festival hosts literary events in Ogden during the two month book-related marathon.

By Angelika Brewer

Literary

For 25 years, Utah Humanities has brought Literary Arts to the hands of Utah residents through themed events, games and featured speakers. “The Utah Humanities Book Festival is a months-long literary marathon, inspiring Utahns everywhere to read great books,” says Program Manager, Willy Palomo. Palomo is a poet, book reviewer, translator and editor for La Piscucha Magazine alongside their position with Utah Humanities.

“Our annual festival has something for everyone, ranging from children's books to romance novels to U.S. poet laureates,” Palomo says. Some notable highlights include: The “Humanities in the Wild” series, where authors walk visitors through the landscapes that inspired their work, The “Reading Dangerously” series, where Utahns from all walks of the political spectrum are invited to join in on conversations discussing challenged books and the issues surrounding them, and an alternate reality game surrounding Utah’s LGBTQ+ history.”

While Utah Humanities Book Festival has an extensive list of events and stops throughout the month of October, Weber Books Links helps to facilitate bringing many to Ogden. Here is a list of events in Weber County:

Oct. 3, 6 p.m. Award-winning, bilingual children’s book author, Rene Colato Lainez, will be reading “My Shoes and I” at the Treehouse Museum.

Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Weber Book Links will present an event called “The Book That Changed Me” at the Weber County Library. Various community members from around Weber County will briefly share the children's or YA book that changed them, that opened their minds and hearts and taught them lifelong lessons.

Oct. 7, 7 p.m. It’s Latinx Poetry Night at Railtown Readings, featuring poets Juan Morales, Melissa Salguero and Lin Flores at the Dumke Arts Plaza. Each author will share excerpts from their own published books of poetry.

Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Children’s book author, Margaux Meganck, will read their book “People Are Wild!” As described on the Book Fest Calendar, “People Are Wild turns the tables and asks what animals think of us. We may not always see eye to eye, but the more we understand each other, the better we’re able to live in harmony.”

Oct. 13, 6 p.m. As part of the Humanities in the Wild series, Juliana Spahr will journey visitors through Green Pond Loop Trail in South Ogden in reference to her book “Du Bois' Telegram”

Oct. 20, 6 p.m. Weber Book Links presents authors, Larry Correia and Steven Diamond, at the Weber County Library to share from their Fiction book, “Servants of War.”

See the full calendar for the locations of events in other Utah cities and more information about each one, here.

The Utah Humanities Book Festival has accommodations available, highlighted per event on the events calendar.

Many of the events will also be live streamed on Instagram at @utahbookfest. 

Visit Utah Humanities Book Festival | Facebook and Instagram @utahbookfest for more visual information on each event. 

Follow Instagram @weberbooklinks for details about Ogden-based events.