MAYOR GIULIANI HOSTS NEW YORK IS BOOK COUNTRY AT GRACIE MANSION
FESTIVAL CELEBRATING THE IMPORTANCE OF READING WILL RUN FROM SEPTEMBER 19-21
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today hosted a reception at Gracie Mansion for New York Is Book Country, an annual festival promoting the importance and joys of reading. The Mayor presented a proclamation to the group whose Fall festival includes more than one hundred different events scheduled over the September 19-21 weekend.
"If you look around New York, you'll find that this is a city of booklovers," Mayor Giuliani said. "Whether relaxing in any one of our wonderful parks, commuting on our subway trains, or sitting in our coffee shops, you'll see eager readers everywhere. And I know that New Yorkers realize how rewarding and how enjoyable reading can be. That is exactly what this festival is about. It brings the joy of reading to New Yorkers of all ages."
"Once again New York has proven to be an inspiration for other cities around the country. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Nashville, and Toronto now have their own "Book Country" festivals modeled after our own. But once again, other cities can't match New York. The five boroughs have always been home to many of the greatest writers of literature. From Walt Whitman to Henry James and Langston Hughes. This year's theme -- "Literary voices, legendary places" is so appropriate."
The Mayor concluded, "New York is proud to be the Capital of the World in the publishing, magazine, journalism, and new media industries. With so much energy, spirit, and human inspiration all around, it's a city with a million great stories to tell. New York City is a writers dream."
For the fourth consecutive year, respected authors and illustrators will visit five of the City's public schools as part of the school tie-in project in conjunction with the Board of Education and ArtsConnection, a private, not-for-profit organization bringing arts programs into schools.
The Festival begins on September 19, and expects over 250,000 New Yorkers and visitors to attend the three-day "bookfest," sponsored by several cultural and educational institutions, publishers and bookstores. The weekend opens with the Literary Auction, offering an array of book-themed items and services, with Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes) serving as Master of Ceremonies.
The New York is Book Country Street Fair, caps the weekend on Sunday with 165 publishers, booksellers, games and costumed characters -- including a live elephant -- along Fifth Avenue. Several new New York participants include: The Museum of Modern Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the children's museum of The Arts, and the New York Society Library.
The reception was sponsored by Golden Books Family Entertainment.
Contact Us | FAQs | Privacy Statement | Site Map