BAM! FESTIVAL
2024 SCHEDULE

Grab a backpack and take part in this interactive book walk, featuring author, Baptiste Paul’s book, Climb On! Live walk with the author is at 10:00 AM, or you may walk on your own at any time during the event.

“So you want to be an author?” Authors talk craft, themes, getting published, and achieving your literary dreams.

For much of history, fantasies began with a damsel in distress. These authors will discuss what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, how we’ve pioneered a new standard throughout history, and the work yet to be done.

Have you ever wanted to create your own cartoon or anime? Well, this workshop will help you start that journey! (Age 11+; space is limited)

It’s not always easy to speak up. Discover how these authors use art & language to speak out against injustice.

In this competition, we play theater-game-style contests about these author’s books by pulling prompts out of a hat! Listen to them tell inside jokes, do interpretive dances, and share literary secrets to be voted the Crayola King, Queen, or Monarch. Only one can be awarded our crown of crayons!

Join these authors and illustrators in this celebration of Latinx history and culture, as they share stories and experiences, and how their heritage and rich history influences their work.

Learn about the different phases of water as Miranda Paul reads her book, Water Is Water, then create your own water cycle in a bottle, in a fun, hands-on experiment.

Have you ever thought about writing a book? Well, so did the teens on this panel…and they did! Learn how they wrote and published their own books, all before graduating high school.

In this hands-on panel, each illustrator guides the audience and other illustrators in how to draw one of their characters. At the end, everyone shows off their work! Paper and pencils will be provided.

These authors write about characters that are considered neurodivergent. In this panel, we celebrate our unique ways of thinking and interacting with the world and others.

These authors not only love to write about food – they love to eat it as much as you do! Dish about books and decorate a cookie.

Join these science-fiction and tech-loving authors for a conversation about technology catching up to humanity and the arts in literature, and help them celebrate the launch of their latest book.

Dive into the dark side of YA books as authors discuss what makes a compelling mystery.

Cheer on some of your favorite author/illustrators as they compete in a kid-judged, live-action drawing competition where you help decide what masterpieces our experts create. Bonus–learn more about their most recent books and what makes them tick! At the end, get your own bag of drawing utensils and create your art!

These are books that we see on shelves and go “Finally!” Stories that make us and our experiences feel seen. Stories that make us think. Stories that inform and change minds. Whether in big ways or in the little details, these authors make their characters and their worlds authentic through love and experience.

Enter this free writing contest and come back to BAM 2024 as a published author! Author Stephen Kozan will get you started with a few writing warm-ups to get you on your way to enter the flash fiction challenge. One piece will be selected, and the winner will receive the opportunity to craft a book, edit, and publish it with Mr. Kozan’s own publishing company.

In this panel and activity, you get to tell your own story with words and pictures. With the help of BAM’s treasure trove of found objects and collaging, this is a child-friendly way to explore found art styles and storytelling for kids.

Have you ever wanted to create your own cartoon or anime? Well, this workshop will help you start that journey! (Age 11+; space is limited)

You're not alone if you or someone you know has been struggling with mental health. Let these authors and characters shed some light on these internal struggles.

Ever wanted to invite your favorite character to your slumber party? Well, we can’t do that, but at this panel, kids get to ask questions! The consequences if they don’t answer: they must showcase a weird talent! Find out everything you want to know about these writers and their books.