The Ten Book Events I'd Love To Go To

July 21, 2020

Welcome to another TTT, where the topic is 'Book Events/Festivals I’d Love to Go to Someday (Real or Fictional)'. As most of us know, the events calendar for bookish events and signings is off due to the pandemic and most (if not all) events have been cancelled. One day, we will be part of a world free from COVID and the events will be on again. A girl can dream about the places she'd go in the meantime, can't she?

So here's the deal... I actually haven't been to a book event before. Not in the grand scheme of things. I've been to individual author signings or have gone to a panel of authors where they would sign books at the end. But never to something of an exhibition, unless you count Toronto ComiCon or Fan Expo, both of which were cancelled this year. This week, I'm listing the places I would go if I could...

1. Book Expo
I think this one was a bit obvious, but really, which reader wouldn't want to go to one of the largest book exhibitions ever??? While it was cancelled this year (provided online), it will be back for Spring 2021.

2. R.A.R.E.
This always sounds incredible and has me wishing I lived somewhere in Europe so I could have easy access to it. This year it was in Scotland. I would have loved to go there again, visit my family. Shucks! Well, my sister should be living in Norway soon so maybe I'll have easy access to the next one. I hope one day they'll have it here in Toronto.

3. ApollyCon
This is an even hosted by Jennifer L. Armentrout and I've heard nothing but amazing things about it. I'll be honest and say I'm always a teensy bit jealous when I see my book friends' posts for all the goodies they grabbed. I really want to go. At first, this event was postponed until Spring 2021, but with the thought that COVID and its repercussions will still be felt by then, the event has been pushed back until the Spring of 2022. Great, I've got almost two years to plan :D

4. LoveNVegas
I've been dying to go to this event. Luxury hotel rooms, after parties, mingling with authors who are letting their hair down... sign me up! Although they had to cancel their event for this October, they'll be back in 2022 and I believe it'll be better than ever!

5. Shameless Book Con
This is an event that always looks like a lot of fun and I want to be a part of that someday.

6. BookCon
This is an event where books and pop culture and fandoms unite. There is no way that a nerd like me wouldn't want to go to a place like this! They're currently doing everything online, but plan to be back in the spring of 2021.

7. Book Bonanza
An event co-created by Colleen Hoover, it allows authors and readers to meet while raising money for a selected charity. It's a huge event in the romance community and I wanna go!

8. Toronto Urban Book Expo (T.U.B.E.)
A friend of mine from high school (and university) created an event that was absolutely necessary here in Toronto and I haven't been to it since I attended the first one. I really need to be a part of it again.

9. ThrillerFest
For anyone who enjoys crime fiction (I do), this is an event not to be missed. It's online this year and I'm not sure what the plan will be for next year.

10. Book Lovers Con
I'm not wholly familiar with this event, but from everything I've seen whenever I've chanced upon it, I'm definitely interested in going. Sponsored by some of the publishers I read from the most, I can't really go wrong here.