Maine Authors Book Festival to be held in Thomaston Aug. 26

THOMASTON — Maine Authors Publishing plans to host its fourth annual book festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 12 High St.

Forty-eight authors will be in attendance to sign and sell their books. The event will also include a children’s area hosted by the Coastal Children’s Museum, presentations, raffles, live music by Don and Cindy Roy, food and drink from Station 118, and ice cream from Stone Fox Farm Creamery, according to a news release from the book publisher.

From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., children’s authors Amy Johnson and Diane Madden will present “Hatching: The Story of Neeps and Tattie.” Coauthors Johnson and Madden will share how a chance meeting in Scotland prompted them to write a children’s book and simultaneously advocate for tortoises.

Following a book reading, the authors will be joined by special tortoise guests Tim and Rebel, residents of Herp Haven in Brunswick, and their handler, Denise Cieri, who will talk about her rescue work and the commitment involved in keeping a tortoise as a pet. Following the presentation, there will be a “turtle craft” for children.

From 1:30-2:30 p.m., author Mary S. Build will present “It’s Never Too Late to Do What You Love.” Build will share her process in finding her purpose in flying at the age of 47. She always thought she wanted to be a nurse, but after being married at 19 and having her first child at 20, she felt something was missing in her life.

Build gave up her job in the supermarket industry and moved to Maine. From there she embarked on her new life in the sky. Build will discuss how her decision allowed her to find her purpose, and she’ll also share memorable flying stories — one about ending up in a plane underwater in an accident and another about a flight to Alaska.

Local Thomaston business Station 118 will have a customized menu for the event including tacos, burgers, and other barbecue offerings available for sale along with beer and wine. See the Maine Authors Book Festival website for complete menu information at station118.com. Based out of Searsport, Stone Fox Farm Creamery will have homemade ice cream for purchase; visit stonefoxfarmcreamery.com.

Don and Cindy Roy’s music is deeply rooted in two strains of Franco-American tradition: Quebecois (from Canada’s province of Quebec) and Acadian (from the Maritime provinces of Canada), both significant to the heritage of New England’s robust French-Canadian communities. In 2018 they received the National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation’s highest honor given to traditional musicians.

The Knox Museum has allowed book festival patrons to park in their parking lot. The museum will be open during the festival and also offer a vendor area.

The raffle ticket sales will be donated to support the Coastal Maine Children’s Museum and the Thomaston Public Library. Both organizations will have a festival presence, and the Coastal Children’s Museum will have a dedicated children’s area as well as a tortoise guest.

Parking will be available along High Street and at the Knox Museum.

For more information and a list of participating authors, visit mainebookfestival.com.