Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Book Events/Festivals I’d Love to Go to Someday (Real or Fictional).
It’s hard to thinking about attending anything other than a Zoom meeting these days! But the topic has got me thinking…
First, I’ll start with some fictional events — events from beloved books that I just wish were real so I could go!
1. The Willow Creek Renaissance Faire from Well Met by Jen DeLuca: Huzzah for the Faire! I want to put on an amazing costume (lady in waiting, perhaps? or maybe even tavern wench…), check out the jousting, and wear flowers in my hair.
2. Solstice at Craigh na Dun: As any Outlander fan knows, solstice is a perfect time to catch some Druid ceremonies, and with luck, journey through the standing stones… and maybe meet our very own Jamie Fraser? (Yes, I’m happily married in real life, but shush. This is fiction.)
3. The pumpkin patch in Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks: It’s just so cool! I want to eat all the gooey treats, go for a hay ride, and visit a haunted house.
4. Quidditch World Cup: Okay, I’m not ordinarily a sports fan, but I think I can make an exception for box seats at the next Quidditch World Cup. Especially if omnioculars are included!
5. Austenland (in the book by the same name, by Shannon Hale): I’d be down for a week spent taking a turn about the room, going to balls, and doing some creative matchmaking.
And in real life…
6. I’ve always wanted to attend Book Expo America (BEA), but since it’s in New York every year and I live on the West Coast, it’s really unlikely to happen.
7. San Diego Comic-con: This one should be more doable. Someday!
8. Surrey International Writers Conference in Vancouver: A friend of mine volunteers at the conference each year, and each year, I’m so envious of all the fabulous writers she ends up meeting!
9. Book launches and books signings: I miss in-person events! I’m looking forward to the day when we can all feel safe and happy walking back into crowded bookstores and meeting our favorite authors.
10. Silent reading parties: Same as with #9 — I’ve loved these in the past, and can’t wait until it’s safe to gather together again. Hanging out with booklovers is the best!
Drink, eat, and read. Silently.
What bookish events are at the top of your wishlist?
Please share your links!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
Cool! I forgot the Quidditch World Cup–I’d love to camp like they did!
For sure, especially with a magical tent! Although hopefully without rioting Death Eaters.
Great list! I would definitely join you at the Quidditch World Cup and the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire. I bet Austenland would be good fun, too!
It does sound nice to dress up in Regency clothes and forget about the outside world for a while 🙂
Yes, the pumpkin patch in Pumpkinheads would be super fun for sure.
My TTT .
I haven’t been to a pumpkin patch in years — but that one seems like a great time.
Same here. I would love to go to the Pumpkin Patch this year or next year.
Great list! I love that you added fictional ones!
My post!
They just all sound like so much fun!
Can I attend all of these please? I grew up round the corner from the house used for Pemberley in the ’95 Austen… I used to prance around it as a child pretending I was at a ball 😂
Oh, how awesome! That’s such a great childhood memory!
Oh it was 😀 And by Austen I of course mean Pride and Prejudice!
Hi there! Fellow west coaster who is dying to go to BEA – I’ll cross my fingers that we will both get to go at some point!
My TTT
Oh, I hope so! It’s been on my to-do-someday list for years!
Solstice at Craigh na Dun and The Willow Creek Renaissance Faire sounds so fun to go to. My kind of event. The Quidditch World Cup would be fun as well. I picked that one as well.
Here is my TTT.
https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/top-ten-tuesday-7/
If only we could really go!
Right.
oh gosh yes to the quidditch world cup and austenland! those would be fun!
Ah, I’d love the chance to enter my fictional worlds and live there for a little while!
YES TO ALL OF THESE. How freaking amazing would it be to visit the faire from Well Met? I’m practically drooling. Ah!
That would be so fun! And I guess in real life, that’s the one we have the best chance of kind of attending — I’m sure we can find a Ren Faire (once public gatherings are okay again).