Charlotte BookPalooza Gives Readers a Saturday at the Ballpark

Truist Field’s next gathering has a different kind of lineup. Charlotte BookPalooza takes over the Uptown ballpark on Saturday, October 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., bringing readers together around authors, booksellers and a shared enthusiasm for the next good book.

The third annual festival benefits Books on the House. The nonprofit’s event announcement lists more than 85 authors, alongside makers, artisans and regional booksellers. Planned activities range from face painting and photo opportunities to reading with a rescue animal, giving visitors several ways to spend the afternoon beyond browsing tables. See the organizer’s festival preview. (https://booksonthehouse.org/bookpalooza)

For someone whose reading life usually happens alone, the appeal is social: a chance to talk about a favorite genre, ask an author about their work, or discover a local bookseller worth visiting again.

There is also a specific welcome for readers arriving without a group. The festival website lists a Book & Sip Charlotte meetup from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the ballpark’s Home Plate Club, where attendees can connect before exploring the event.

BookPalooza supports the nonprofit’s work distributing free books to children and adults. That gives the day a purpose beyond bringing home another addition to the reading pile.

Truist Field is at 324 S. Mint Street. Use the official festival website (https://charlottebookpalooza.com/) for current tickets and event details.

Featured image: Tom Hermans / Unsplash. Illustrative book photograph; not a photograph of BookPalooza.