Crowds Pack Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival Despite Weather
Not even the gloom of a cold, rainy day could put a damper on this year’s Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.
Saturday’s festival, featuring more than 85 children’s, teen and young adult authors, was moved by organizers indoors to the Robert E. Bell Middle School gymnasium as a result of the inclement weather.
But children and parents were just as enthusiastic as they had been the past two years when the event was held in the school’s parking lot under sunny skies and warm temperatures.
“It’s wonderful,” said Brewster resident Deborah Zides, who attended with her two children, ages four and six. “Lots of amazing authors, the kids are having a great time. A lot of waiting but it’s worth it, I think. They’re really excited.”
Executive Director Dawn Greenberg said the decision to hold the festival indoors was made reluctantly on Thursday. Although the threat of a tropical storm fizzled, it turned out to be the right call. During the six-hour event, an estimated several thousand parents and children flooded downtown Chappaqua and poured through the school’s doors to look over the wide array of books and speak to the authors and illustrators.
Greenberg said there were concerns holding the festival inside, such as whether the gym would be too loud with so many young children, but any anxiety was quickly quelled. The activities that had been planned for outside were held in different areas of the school. The food tent with tables and a DJ remained outside, but visitors were protected from the elements.
“It’s not too loud,” Greenberg said of the gym where the authors displayed their books and spoke with children. “There’s a nice level of excitement and there’s still plenty of time to talk to the authors.”
Some of the authors said holding the festival indoors created an exciting bustle that made it a different experience than the past two years.
Others said being able to meet with their fans was particularly gratifying because creating their books is often a solitary experience.
“As writers we work in isolation and it’s just the nicest thing to see where our books end up and see how appreciated they are,” said author Jane Sutcliffe, who was attending her first Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.
“I’m sitting home alone all day and I don’t get to see kids all the time, and when you see a kid come along and their eyes light up, or you see their excitement, that’s a wonderful feeling,” said Susanna Reich, who was doing a brisk business with the sale of her biographies and a new novel that she displayed.
One of the big attractions of the day was author Victoria Kann, who created the Pinkalicious series and attracted a long line of parents and children waiting for their books to be signed.
Mary Katherine Barbour of Briarcliff Manor, one of the parents waiting on the line, was buying books for her children and for gifts. Attending her first festival after having just moved to the area from Virginia over the summer, she was impressed with what she saw.
“When you have activities and great minds together and they’re available and you can get your kids to be a part of that I’ll come out in any type of weather,” Barbour said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/