While some people walked around the University of Arizona mall visiting the hundreds of booths on Saturday morning, others decided to kick off their Tucson Festival of Books experience learning about monsters.
The festival hit the ground running on Saturday, bringing everything from books to music to a giant inflatable heart to the University of the Arizona mall. It continues Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is free to attend.
Readers pack the University of Arizona Bookstores tent at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday.
Saturday featured various panels where authors got to speak about topics they are passionate about, such as sports, photography and animals. At the Integrated Learning Center, people piled into a classroom for the monster panel.
Four horror authors told festival-goers what makes the perfect monster. They discussed vampires, zombies, ghost experiences and tales from a stay at a haunted mansion during the hour-long panel.
Throughout Saturday morning, music played while people of all ages walked around the mall. Among those in the crowd were ballet folklorico dancers, Disney princesses and elephant and pig mascots posing with children. Giant crossword puzzles also were stationed around the mall where people got to stop by and put their minds together to solve the puzzle.
David Asad of the U of A's Ecology, Evolution and Biology Department, shows cockroaches and other decomposers at Science City at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday.
The festival's Science City also drew a crowd. Visitors could choose from four science neighborhoods, participate in hands-on activities, watch science demos and meet science authors.
The 14th annual festival this year features about 300 authors, 300 presentations and 200 vendors. About 125,000 people are expected to attend the two-day festival. Since 2009, TFOB has donated over $2 million to agencies that work to improve literacy in the community.
Sunday’s biggest panels will feature legendary singer and Tucson native Linda Ronstadt and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, though seats to see either could be hard to get.
Ronstadt will be discussing her memoir she co wrote with Lawrence Downes: “Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands.”
Sanders and his co author John Nichols will also be holding a panel where they will discuss his new book, “It’s OK to be Angry About Capitalism.”
Photos: 2023 Tucson Festival of Books
United States Senator Bernie Sanders grabs a fan's hand as he takes the stage to talk about his new book, "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism," during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
United States Senator Bernie Sanders talks about aspects from his book, "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism," during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
United States Senator Bernie Sanders talks about aspects from his book, "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism," during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
John Nichols co-authored the book "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism," with United States Senator Bernie Sanders. Nichols talks about aspects from the book during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Linda Ronstadt smiles as she talks about her book "Feels like Home," during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Linda Ronstadt, far right, smiles as she listens to Lawrence Downes, middle, who co-wrote "Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands" with Ronstadt talk during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
As Linda Ronstadt takes the stage, audience members get their photos before she talks about her book, "Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands" during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Linda Ronstadt smiles as she talks about her book "Feels like Home," during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Audience members clap as Linda Ronstadt talks about her book "Feels like Home," during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
A member of the Circus Academy of Tucson performs during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Vince Miguel looks through comics in the Bookman's tent during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus on March 5, 2023.
Hannah Che, author of "The Vegan Chinese Kitchen: Recipes and Modern Stories from a Thousand-Year-Old Tradition: A Cookbook," cooks up a dish in the culinary tent during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Amy Herman, author of "smART: Use Your Eyes to Boost Your Brain," talks about her book during the second day of the Tucson Festival of Books on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 5, 2023.
Craig Johnson, bestselling author of the Longmire mysteries, with fellow authors Margaret Mizushima and Terry Shames during the "Wild West Mysteries" panel at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Readers pack the University of Arizona Bookstores tent at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Thousands of people on the UA Mall for the Tucson Festival of Books on March 4, 2023.
U of A students with the Program to Advance Women Scientists work with kids at Science City during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Author Johnny Compton's description makes fellow author Hiron Ennes squeamish during "The Monster Panel" at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Mariachi Los Toritos perform for a lunchtime crowd at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Author Lawrence Downes, who co-wrote "Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands" with Linda Ronstadt, talks Mexican food with moderator Cathy Burch at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Elephant and Piggie share a bench with festival-goers at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
David Asad of the U of A's Ecology, Evolution and Biology Department, shows cockroaches and other decomposers at Science City at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Author Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor at Slate and host of Amicus, a podcast about the law and the Supreme Court, greets fans and signs books at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Readers in the University of Arizona Bookstores tent at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Danae Pineda shows children a fun cloud science experiment at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Ladybug Girl greets children at the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Fans listen intending during the "Wild West Mysteries" panel during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Children get a quick, very basic lesson in CPR at the TMC Health tent at Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Fans line up to meet authors during the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
