EVERGREEN PARK, IL - The Ever-Read YA Literary Festival offers literature lovers of all ages the opportunity to meet award-winning authors, sharpen their writing and drawing skills at author-led workshops, and take home a book signed by the author of their choice. This inaugural community-wide event hosted by Evergreen Park Public Library and Evergreen Park Community High School is on Saturday, March 16, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Evergreen Park Community High School’s award-winning Learning Resource Center. 

The festival features ten authors from genres including memoir, young adult fantasy, middle-grade fantasy, modern romance, historical fiction, and comics. There are three author-led writing workshops: The Big Story Machine: How to Get Started with author James Klise, Drawing Heroes and Villians with artist and author Brian “BMAN” Babenererde, and Fantasy World-Building with author Myah Bawadi. 

“While the festival is open to readers of all ages, the opportunity for students to meet authors, attend thought-provoking panel discussions, and write their stories in workshops will be academically and personally powerful,” said EPCHS Media Specialist Dr. Tina Ward. 

“One of our fundraising goals was to give the first 150 students who register in advance a free book to treasure and have signed by their favorite festival author and thanks to all of our generous sponsors, we can,” added Evergreen Park Public Library Teen Librarian Mary Black.

The Ever-Read YA Literary Festival is supported in part by the Illinois Arts Council Agency, The Gift of Carl Foundation, Evergreen Park Library Foundation, Evergreen Park Community High School Foundation, Evergreen Park District 124 Education Foundation, EPCHS Alumnae Kevin Hovorka, Desmond & Ahern Associates, Author C.J. Rose, Jeanine and Mike Olson, Margaret Murray, Mayor Kelly Burke, Scannell & Associates, The Seidl Family, Patricia Durkin, The Vucsko Family, Senator Bill Cunningham, Commissioner John P. Daley, The Donoghue Family, The Martinez Family, The EP Podcast, Lemolade, Core Fitness & Physical Therapy, Bookies of Chicago, and Elizabeth and George Vogel.

The Ever-Read YA Literary Festival is free and open to teens, their parents, and all adults who read young adult literature. 

Evergreen Park Community High School is located at 9901 S. Kedzie Avenue in Evergreen Park. For more festival information visit evergreenparklibrary.org or contact Mary Black at 708-422-8522 or Dr. Tina Ward at 708-424-7400.