Nineteen years ago, Rain Taxi held the first Twin Cities Book Festival at Open Book in Minneapolis. It was just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the sole out-of-town author — 77-year-old poet Robert Creeley — finally made it to Minneapolis from the East Coast after 18 arduous hours of travel. (There were tons of local writers in attendance, as well, including Robert Bly.)
Creeley "really went through a lot to get here, and I think that alone said something about why we all do this," said Rain Taxi editor Eric Lorberer.
"When he spoke to us for that keynote that year, we felt reaffirmed in how hearing from a major poet could be consoling and nurturing and give us some of our humanity back in that really troubled time.
"And we know that will be equally true this year as this year's authors bring us some joy and hope in this troubled time."
The festival has grown from about 1,000 attendees that first year to a reliable 6,000 and is a literary mainstay of autumn.
This year's festival — the 20th — will be virtual, and it will be spread over three days (Oct. 15-17) instead of the usual one jam-packed day. The two additional days are "to fight online fatigue," Lorberer said. "While normally it's great fun to cram in a lot of authors and exhibitors in one big beautiful day, in the digital format we recognize that cramming-in is not the paradigm."
Over those three days, people can browse the virtual exhibition hall, with publishers, journals and other literary organizations; attend the Minnesota Mingle of local authors (renamed the Minnesota Mashup for the different online experience); and take part virtually in all the usual activities.
It will open and close with huge names — poet Naomi Shihab Nye will give the keynote on Oct. 15; and Ayad Akhtar, poet, novelist and newly named president of PEN America, will close the festival, in conversation with Minnesota writer and musician Dessa.
