Dallas Is Lit! Illuminates The City May 10-14, 2023
The Writer’s Garret is thrilled to announce the first ever Dallas Is Lit! literary festival, happening May 10-14th, 2023. Featuring readings, performances, workshops and a book fair, the Dallas Is Lit! lineup shines light on all the ways we’re a literary city, from rom-com lit fans to collage poets, from book binding to drag story time. Anchored in the heart of the city — in Dallas' beautiful Oak Cliff neighborhood — the festival takes an expansive view of what is literary and who creates and participates in those experiences, offering activities for a variety of ages and interests, connecting writers, readers, makers and audiences through the power of language and the literary arts.
Program highlights include:
- ghost story telling
- Anatomy of a Book workshop
- immersive, family-friendly Rail Writers field trip
- the Common Language Project reading
- drag queen and Spanish language story times
- rom-com literary brunch
- all-ages book fair
- Hear Me, See Me multilingual poetry performance
- Inner Moonlight poetry series 5th anniversary
- Lit Talk panel conversation
Dallas Is Lit! Event Lineup
Wednesday, May 10th
Wednesday, May 10th | 7:30pm
The Wild Detectives
Kicking off the first ever Dallas Is Lit! literary festival, Inner Moonlight is celebrating 5 years of presenting Dallas with some of the best local (and a few not-so-local) poets around. We'll have encore performances by an incredible lineup of previously featured poets, including Lauren Brazeal Garza, Jenny Bhatt, Laura Neal, James Davis, Bruce Bond, Alex Temblador, Ayesha Asad, Kim Nall, Chris George, Alan Gann, Matt Baker, Shug Avery, Joe Milazzo, and Robin Myrick. This will be a night of poetry you won't want to miss.
Free; RSVP strongly recommended.
Thursday, May 11th
Lit Talk: A DFW Author's Panel Series
Thursday, May 11th | 7:00pm
Whose Books Neighborhood Bookstore
Join Writing Workshops Dallas & The Writer’s Garret for LitTalk: A DFW Author Panel Series at Whose Books on Wednesday, May 11th at 7 pm. Novelist & series creator Alex Temblador will moderate a panel featuring Lauren Brazeal Garza, Jill Talbot, and LaToya Watkins in a discussion taking the topic of “creative writing” as a starting point for a conversation about the craft, process and business of writing.
Free; RSVP strongly recommended.
First Draughts - Literary Mixer
Thursday, May 11th | 9:00pm
The Wild Detectives
First Draughts literary mixer is back! Held monthly(ish) at The Wild Detectives and hosted by Writing Workshops Dallas and The Writer’s Garret, First Draughts is a great place to meet other DFW writers, talk shop, and connect.
We’ll raffle off gift certificates to Wild Detectives, enjoy drink specials, and talk reading, writing, and everything in between. We’d love for you to be part of the thriving literary community at one of our favorite bookstores in town.
Friday, May 12th
Friday, May 12th | 7:00pm
Texas Theatre | $10
Have you ever felt trapped inside yourself, like no one understands what you’re trying to
express? Hear Me, See Me offers a moving multilingual affirmation the audience will
hear, see, and feel. The performance combines American Sign Language (ASL), English,
and Spanish, and includes music, rhythm, and movement in an exploration of the
possibilities of self-expression, the power of poetry, and the truth of shared experience
that unites us all.
Hear Me, See Me will be interpreted in ASL in full.
Presented in partnership with Making Entertainment Worthwild Productions.
Friday, May 12th | 10:00pm
Texas Theatre | $25
For centuries, we’ve delighted in mysterious, spooky and downright scary tales of the
supernatural and the darker side of human nature. Join us at the historic Texas Theatre
late night gathering will find local storytellers and performers spinning stories that will
send a shiver up and down your spine. Who knows? You might even have an encounter
yourself.
Saturday, May 13th
Saturday, May 13th | 10:00am
Tyler Station | RSVP required
All aboard! Rail Writers, The Writer’s Garret’s favorite summer program, takes to the DART light rail for a 4 hour family excursion of writing, sharing, and exploration. Families will meet with a Garret teaching artist at Tyler St. Station, board the light rail and journey into the heart of the Arts District to explore. Guided by their teaching artists, writers young and old will reflect on what they experience, and then be encouraged to share. After lunch at Klyde Warren Park, everyone will re-board the light rail and return back to Tyler St. Station.
Saturday, May 13th | noon-4pm
Turner House
Featuring Vendors: 826 Dallas Project | Typewriter Troubadour (12p-2p) | Mad Swirl | Awesome Comics | The First Line Literary Journal | Whose Books | Deep Vellum Book Store and Publishing Co. | Poetry Smash/In the Words of a Sistah | Talking Animals Books | Motina Books | Writer’s League of Texas | Dallas Public Library | The Book Doctor | Assure Press Publishing & Consulting | Writers Block Inc. | Teen Writers Project | The Dock Bookshop
Saturday, May 13th | 2pm
Location TBA
Story time can only be more fun when drag is involved! Join local drag icon Jada Pinkett Fox as she reads stories that will inspire all of us to be our true, authentic selves, then share a cupcake and grab a photo.
Saturday, May 13th | 3:00pm
Oil & Cotton | $30
Dissect vintage volumes, and learn about the amazing history and structure of this object we call the book. Reconstruct the dissected parts into one-of-a-kind artist’s books, to anchor that history in material form. Each participant will leave with a unique artist’s book built from the pages of old books, as well as samples of materials (Papyrus! Vellum! Linen thread waxed with beeswax!) important to the history of books.
Read More & Get Tickets
Saturday, May 13th | 5:00pm
Turner House | RSVP required
Saturday, May 13th | 7:30pm
Turner House | RSVP required
Sunday, May 14th
Sunday, May 14th | 11:00am
Taco y Vino
The only thing better than brunch with your besties is brunch with your besties and several of your favorite literary couples in the middle of lovers’ quarrels! Featuring iconic moments ranging from The Literary Canon™ (Austen fans, looking at you) to dishy chick lit, this brunch on the back patio at Tacos y Vino will be serving mimosas, break ups, make ups and general big feels mayhem about our favorite four letter word.
Table packages start at $70 for 2
Get Tickets
Sunday, May 14th | 1-3pm
Whose Books
¡Únase a nosotros para una tarde de cuentos y tradiciones! Cuentacuentos locales tejerán historias fantásticas en español que traerán a la vida la belleza de nuestra cultura y fortalecerán los lazos que nos unen.
Este evento es gratis.
Dallas Is Lit! Community Partners
Maryam O. Baig | City Councilman Chad West
Supporters
Avid Quality Care | Free Play
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