Lincoln Park’s writing and publishing department sponsors the comeback of Beaver County’s BookFest after its temporary hiatus due to Covid. The event will be held behind the school on Oct. 11, 2025 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Beaver County BookFest kicked off in Bridgewater, a small town with a population of about 700 people. Cassie Brkich, co-founder of the festival, “didn’t know the reading crowd,” and described the night before as “frightening.” There were around 30 authors scheduled to display their works in outdoor pop-up tents, one of the authors being her husband and co-founder, Valentine Brkich.
Despite her concerns, around 4,000 people showed up to the event. The lack of book festivals prompted out of town travel with crowds deriving from places such as Maryland, Ohio, etc. Attendees were given a space to be able “to celebrate a chance to read and not be embarrassed.”
Over the course of its run, a children’s tent was added to keep kids engaged in activities related to specific stories. Additionally, baked goods would embody popular quotes from books.
The first five to six years, there was difficulty with the tech and set up needed for the festival. It wasn’t easy to advertise the event, either, since there wasn’t an available website. At first, people didn’t like the switch to an online form, but it was an easier management process for the founders in the long run.
Today, one of the bigger challenges, other than marketing, is the weather. Oftentimes, it’s rainy and chilly since it takes place during the fall. Brkich described the past weather conditions as a “river of rain.”
There are already authors and vendors signing up for the pop-up tents with the price being only $40 this year. If you’re interested in applying for this year’s BookFest, sign up here!
