Better Off Read Summer Book Festival headed to Artpark for Labor Day weekend

Artpark & Company Press Release

Join us at Artpark’s lower park on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug, 31, for The third annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival. The free-to-attend, all-ages event is meant to promote reading, encourage writing, and celebrate storytelling.

The festival, presented by local writer Ian Kinney, features thousands of books on sale for $5 or less; vendor booths by local authors, artists and merchants; a variety of food trucks and other concessions; kid-friendly activities such as storytelling, face-painting and balloon animals; plus much more.

Additionally, for the third year in a row, the festival is proud to present a special basket raffle with gifts donated by some of the world’s best storytellers. This year’s star-studded list of celebrity donors includes Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Silverman, Neil Gaiman, Colleen Hoover, David Byrne, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Blink 182, legendary icon Bob Dylan and superstar Billie Eilish.

Local sponsors to this year’s festival include BirchTree Fotos, Kelly’s Beauty Bar, Niagara Sports Tournaments, Orange Cat Coffee Co., Power City Eatery, Read It & Eat, The Village Bake Shoppe and Youngstown Village Diner.

To learn more, become a vendor or sponsor, or to make a donation, visit www.BetterOffReadFestival.com.

Visit www.artpark.net for more information.

Artpark Event Schedule

2024 events at Artpark include: Gary Clark Jr. (May 25); Los Lonely Boys (May 31); Sarah McLachlan (June 18); Bonnie Raitt (June 21); Dispatch (June 28); Orville Peck with The War And Treaty (July 1) Norah Jones (July 6) The opera “Tosca” (July 12, 14); Train (July 19); The Flaming Lips (July 22); Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo (July 24): Two Door Cinema Club (July 29); Slash S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival with Keb’ Mo’, ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph (July 30); Backroads Blues Festival featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jimmie Vaughan, Bobby Rush, and Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel (Aug. 10); Gin Blossoms + Toad the Wet Sprocket and Vertical Horizon (Aug. 11); Stray Cats (Aug. 13); Blues Traveler with Big Head Todd & The Monsters (Aug. 16); Bush (Aug. 17); Tedeschi Trucks Band (Aug. 20); O.A.R. (Aug. 27); Cole Swindell (Aug. 29); and Cage The Elephant + Young The Giant (Sept. 7).

The new Artpark & Company season is sponsored and supported in part by: M&T Bank; Cullen Foundation; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Parks & Trails New York; Town of Lewiston; Niagara County Legislature; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; HSBC Bank; Labatt Blue Light; Bud Light; Southern Tier Brewing; Buffalocal; and Northtown Automotive Companies.