City of Palmdale to Host Book Festival/ARTown Event on May 7 Book Signings, Art Show & Do-It-You

PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale’s Library and Legacy Commons for Active Seniors will host the inaugural Palmdale Book Festival & ARTown Fusion, a celebration of literacy and artistic culture for all ages, on Saturday, May 7 from 12 noon to 4 pm at Legacy Commons and Legacy Park, located at 930 E. Ave. Q-9 in Palmdale.

The festival will include book signing from local authors, an art show featuring the works of local artists, a Friends of the Library book sale, story time for kids, balloons and face painting, the Library’s Techmobile, crafts for all ages, including adults, and more.

Special guest musical comedy group the High-D Boys will also perform a concert in Legacy Park as part of the festivities.

“The ARTown Fusion exhibit will be on display inside Legacy Commons, while most of the crafts and activities will be held on the lawn at Legacy Park,” said Library Director Thomas Vose. “One of the coolest events of the day will be ‘Do It Yourself Shakespeare,’ where people will be able to perform their favorite Shakespearian scenes for all to see and enjoy.”

Among the local authors who will be on hand include: Itibari Zulu, “Journal of Pan-African Studies,” Rich Samuels, “Alexander Adventures,” Dr. Lance Fogan, “DINGS,” Stacey Nembhard, “The Jamaican Linguist: I Remember When,” E. Katherine Kottaras, “How to Be Brave,” L. Denet Stephens, “The Search for Sunshine,” Mildred Dumas, “Christmas Blessings: A Novel,” Laura Emery, “Disposition of Remains,” Mark Sears, Michael Picarella, “Everything Ever After: Confessions of a Family Man,” Lee Souleles, “Avalon,” Deen Ferrell, “Cryptic Spaces” series, Chris Alexander, “Star Wars Origami,” Lock Marie, “The Tip Book,” Rebekah R. Ganiere, “Dead Awakenings,” “The

Fairelle Series” and Antelope Valley Writers’ Association compilation books.

Local artists participating will be announced at the end of April. Interested artists need to fill out an application (available at www.cityofpalmdale.org) and either mail or hand deliver to: Legacy Commons for Active Seniors, 930 East Avenue Q-9 Palmdale, CA 93550. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 25. Artists will be contacted to confirm that they have been selected to participate and at that time will be given specific details regarding what time they may arrive to set-up their art.

For more information, please call the Palmdale City Library at 661/267-5600 or TDD 267-5167, or visit www.cityofpalmdale.org/library.

About the High D Boys (from http://highdboys.weebly.com/)

A banjo, a guitar, and a wash-tub! Add in four part harmony and it’s a recipe for the best musical comedy group this side of the Mississippi River. The High-D Boys originally started as a jazz duo, with Patrick Summers and Javier Alcontrar-Rojas on Ukulele. After one practice they decided to throw in comedy and then the ball started rolling to include two very capable musicians; Daniel Reyes on guitar and Phil Clevinger on the washtub bass. Though they were happy with the sound they had discovered, a wandering harmonizer named Robert Keil Blomker II found the high-d boys and convinced them through his majestic voice that they required yet another member. As time went by, founders Javier and Patrick ventured to distant lands seeking education and fortune, but all was well with the boys as they found a banjo playing paint store manager named Mike Kelly. This is the version of the High-D Boys you are going to see on the street corners, theaters, coffee houses and lunar landers. Should you find the boys performing, be prepared for a comedic show which at any time can include the moon walk, funny jokes, sarcastic remarks, flashy skills (Including Bo-Staff and rope), and of course, tasteful music to fill the longing heart. Their style ranges from the warm climates of Latin music to honky tonk and soothing ballads to hippity hop swing! If you have ever yearned for a song but were too scared to tell people for fear of being ridiculed, the High-D boys do that song.