In addition to this venue, the BookZone will also have a booth that will feature literature by authors from Festival-sponsored panels and author events. Authors include the 2000 Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpha Lahiri and the 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner Jared M. Diamond. The UCLA Store will sell Festival merchandise at the Los Angeles Times Pavilion and at a BearWear booth in the Children's Area. Launched in 1996, the two-day Festival is part of the effort to promote literacy, celebrate the written word, and bring the community together. What makes the extra time and effort devoted to the Festival each year so worthwhile is the chance to be part of a large community of readers.
Admission is free to the public.
However, tickets will be required to attend author panel discussions and lectures. Tickets will be available free of charge at all Ticketmaster locations throughout Southern California. A limited number of tickets will also be available on-site. Last year, the Festival of Books attracted more than 100,000 visitors and included 400 authors and more than 250 exhibitors.