Book & Film Festivals, Amelia Island Garden Show

Book and movie lovers, authors and producers gather on Amelia Island in February to celebrate creative expression with dozens of programs. There will be book signings, workshops, film screenings, luncheons, great parties and more.

Gardeners also will be getting ready to spruce up landscapes in the spring with a visit to the Amelia Island Garden Show at Central Park. Read more about these upcoming events:

February 18-19, 2011 — Amelia Island Book Festival. Wordsmiths get together on Amelia Island each year for the Book Festival, featuring author talks, workshops, readings, luncheons and celebrations of the love of books in historic Fernandina Beach. Authors of all genres are present, including novels of nonfiction, mystery, history, adventure, Southern literature, poetry and books for young readers. Rick Bragg, author of the critically acclaimed and best-selling “All Over but the Shoutin’” and a Pulitzer Prize-winning national correspondent for the New York Times, is a keynote speaker. Another keynote speaker is bestselling author, Susan Vreeland, three-time winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. Jamie Ford, the New York Times bestselling author of “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,” is a third speaker.

Writers’ workshops will be held at Florida State College at Yulee’s Betty P. Cook Nassau County Campus on Friday, February 18th, 2011 from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm. All-day workshop tickets purchased early are $65 (but after January 30, 2011 $85).

Visitors can browse the “Book Marketplace” at St. Peter’s campus downtown next to Centre Street (at corner of 8th Street and Atlantic Ave.), Fernandina on Saturday, February 19th, 9 am to 4 pm. Many Readers’ Workshops for FREE will also be held at the St. Peter’s campus 9:30 am – 4:00pm on Saturday, as well as a FEATURED FREE KID’s AREA: Activities for children, readings by authors, geared to kids aged 3-12. This is an excellent event to bring the kids. See full details of schedule at the book festival’s web site www.bookisland.org , or call 904-491-8176.

February 24-27, 2011 — Amelia Island Film Festival. “Meet Me In Paradise.” A celebration of film screenings, workshops, lectures, and more at venues across Amelia Island. The film festival screens more than 25 films, including shorts and features, student, independent, documentaries, Sci-Fi, and classic films. Films will be screened at various venues in Fernandina Beach.

The 2011 Film Festival features actor, writer, producer Aaron Michael Metchik (director and star of “Ten Year Later,” the Amelia Island Film Festival’s opening night feature), and actor David Keith (for his film, “Beneath The Blue”). Both will be on Amelia Island for the showing of their films. Also attending will be Kent Moran, the writer of “Listen To Your Heart,” the feature film that concludes the Festival. For more about the scheduled events, venues and tickets, visit the film festival’s web site www.AmeliaIslandFilmFestival.org or call (904) 335-1110.

Barn Owl at Amelia Garden Show, Fernandina Beach

March 5-6, 2011 — Amelia Island Garden Show. The second annual garden show will be held at Central Park on Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach, Florida. More than 50 vendors (growers and nurseries from around the state) offer a large selection including: flowers, plants, fruit trees, palms, orchids, herbs, container gardens, native plants, butterfly-friendly plants, shrubs, garden accessories and more. Experts will provide info on “greening” your home, yard, and garden.

Also, “The Raptor Experience,” with live birds of prey will also be featured. See more at Amelia Island Garden Show website.

Also see Amelia Island Living’s “Festivals and Special Events 2011″ page for the year’s calendar of top events.