Buffalo Small Press Book Fair set for March 24

BUFFALO, NY - The 6th Annual Buffalo Small Press Book Fair is on the way, and it promises to be the biggest to date. The event, which is slated from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Porter Hall, 453 Porter Ave, Buffalo.

Chris Fritton, the organizer of the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair, is bringing together another world class arts event not to miss. This year, the fair is officially partnering with the Western New York Book Arts Center (WNYBAC), an educational non-profit organization located in downtown Buffalo. The mission of WNYBAC, “to promote the art of the book in all its forms,” fits perfectly with the aim of the small press fair, to inspire authors and artists as well as give them a venue to display their work.

In addition, the fair again received a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts and the extra money is being used to help promote the event.

In keeping with the format change from previous years, the fair will host a number of free workshops that take place concurrent with vendors selling their wares. “This year we will have poetry readings off-site the night before, as well as number of other events taking place close to the day of the fair.” Fritton adds “The book fair has really become a week-long event that draws people from all over the Northeast, and having activities on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday make that trip worthwhile.”

More than 110 vendors signed up this year in less than ten days.

New this year will be a visit from Drive-By Press, a nationally recognized outfit that stages mobile printing demonstrations out of the back of their van. Drive-By Press will be set up inside the fair as well, printing and peddling t-shirts and posters created from handmade woodcuts. Open readings during the book fair have also been reinstated, giving poets and authors a chance to share their work; the marathon reading will be held upstairs in short back-to-back ten-minute time slots.

Vendors run the gamut from visual artists to small press poets, book artists to letterpressers, comic book makers to do-it-yourself crafters. This preserves the original intention: hosting an event that brings together a diverse cross-section of cultural workers (and enthusiasts) in a venue where they can share ideas, showcase their art, and peddle their wares. Workshops are held throughout the day to supplement the book bizarre aspect of the fair, but the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair Pre-Party and poetry readings will take place at the Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St., Buffalo. 
Details of the event are available online at buffalosmallpress.org

This event is free to attend and open to the general public. 

For information, call 392-7305, Email info@buffalosmallpress.org, or visit www.buffalosmallpress.org.