Festival kicks off Community Read

The Friends of the Fallbrook Library announce the combination of two of its events: Art & The Book and the Community Read. On April 1, Art & The Book, a one-day festival featuring the sale of rare, collectible and first edition books, will officially kick off Fallbrook’s Fourth Annual Community Read. The selected book is “My Life in France” by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme.

Art & The Book will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Fallbrook. Admission is free. Ten Friends of the Library organizations from around San Diego County will join the Friends of the Fallbrook Library to offer gently used books for sale.

In addition, several Southern California authors will be available to sell and sign their works. There will also be displays by local artists, the Fallbrook Historical Society and the Fallbrook Music Society, plus live music, a writer’s workshop and children’s storytime. The library will offer children’s crafts activities from 1 to 4 p.m. and the Fallbrook Gem & Mineral museum and gift shop will be open featuring children’s books on minerals and fossils.

The Community Read will continue through April 29 and will include several special events. In keeping with the theme of this year’s book, “Pleasures of the Table,” an exhibition of French memorabilia, art and accessories, will be on display in the main gallery of the Art Center April 1-6. The exhibition will include French-themed quilts created by local artisans as well as an extensive bookmark collection.

Also planned is a wine tasting at the Art Center, two sessions of Book Talk discussing the featured book and the Friends’ annual luncheon, April 27 at Pala Mesa Resort. Alex Prud’homme, co-author of the book and Julia Child’s great-nephew, will be the special guest speaker at the luncheon.

Copies of “My Life in France” may be obtained through the Fallbrook Library or purchased at the Book Nook, 129 East Hawthorne, or Major Market. For more information call (760) 728-6373.