Oakland is throwing a huge art, music, and literature fair in its downtown throughout Labor Day weekend. This is one of the most diverse cities in the nation, reflected in its the Art and Soul Festival’s line up of blues, jazz, alternative rock, and gospel hip hop musicians. There’s a literary component as well, with numerous panels of authors, poets, editors and agents.
On Saturday, at the Civic Center at 1:30 there will be an Oakland author panel with Ishmael Reed, William Wong, Captain Geoffrey Hunter of the Oakland Fire Department and Annalee Allen. Jack Foley will moderate.
At 2:45, there will be a panel on publishing with literary agents Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada, book editor Randy Peyser, William Justice and Heydey Publisher Malcolm Margolin.
Sunday at 1:10 at the Civic Center, California Poet Laureate Al Young and Barry Gifford, a screenwriter will talk.
On Monday, poet Joan Gelfand, whose work is featured on her blog, Ciel, will read at 3 p.m.
