Skip to Content
Featured

The L.A. Taco Guide to the Festival of Books ~ Wes Avila, Junot Diaz, Guadalupe Rosales

OpThis weekend is one of the biggest and most anticipated book events in the United States — the LA Times Festival of Books at USC. Each April, an estimated 150,000 book-lovers gather for readings, live music, food, and headline-topping conversations with the best of publishing in the year. Here are some highlights we're looking forward to:

Saturday, April 21

KRS-One: A conversation on Hip-Hop, Philosophy, and Storytelling. 10:30 am

Joyce Carol Oates in Conversation with Michael Silverblatt. 10:30 am

Juan Felipe Herrera, reading: The most recent former U.S. Poet Laureate and native Californian Juan Felipe Herrera reads from his new children's title "Jabberwalking." 11:55 am

The Bob Lefsetz Podcast with Special Guest Moby. 12:00 pm

Vivica A. Fox, Author of "Every Day I'm Hustling": In Conversation with Laurie Ochoa. 12:10 pm

Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein, Authors of "Selena": See related L.A. Taco story here. 1:30 pm

Food: The New Culture: With L.A. Taco contributor Gustavo Arellano, Andrew Friedman, Edward Lee, Dan Stone. 2:00 pm

Memoir: The Past is Never Past: Moderated by yours truly, L.A. Taco editor. With Alexandra Marzano-Lesnevich, Paisley Rekdal, Rob Roberge, and Benjamin Taylor, winner of the 2018 Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose. 2:00 pm

A Street-Level View of the Homelessness Crisis: The No. 1 topic in Los Angeles today is homelessness. This panel features LA Times columnist Steve Lopez, LA Times photographer Francine Orr, and homelessness advocate Anthony Ruffin. 2:30 pm

Junot Diaz. (MIT)

Sunday, April 22

Junot Diaz in Conversation with Carolina Miranda: Diaz's appearance with LA Times arts and culture reporter/columnist Carolina Miranda is sure to be an amazing event. 10:30 am

The Evolution of Mexican Food in Los Angeles: With Wes Avila, Sarah Portnoy, and Bill Esparza. 12:00 pm

Activism Now! Moderated by Celeste Fremon, founder of Witness LA, with Patrisse Khan-Cullors, co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter, Paola Mendoza, artistic director of the Women's March on Washington, Yascha Mounk, and Manuel Pastor. 2:00 pm

The Politics of L.A. Spaces: From Architectural Icons to Homelessness and Gentrification: With David L. Ulin, Ken Breisch, Sesshu Foster, and R. Scott Mitchell. 3:00 pm

Urbanism: How We Make Cities: With Christopher Hawthorne. 3:00 pm

Wes Avila, Author of "Guerrilla Tacos: Recipes from the Streets of L.A. 3:30 pm

Arts+Culture: Past, Present, Future, Curated by Marty Preciado: Nylon en Español editor Marty Preciado in conversation with Samanta Helou Hernandez, Jorge N. Leal, Alejandra Olmedo, and Guadalupe Rosales. 3:30 pm

826LA Manual Arts High School Students, Reading from Through the Same Halls: Journeys of Elders Born and Raised in South Central and Beyond. 4:40 pm

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Meet Mid-City L.A.’s Third-Generation Oaxacan Baker, Who Still Makes Traditional Hand-Drawn Pan de Muerto

As an increasing number of Dia de Muertos fans begin to build their altars this year, establishments like this bakery, owned by a third-generation panadero, still makes pan de muerto the painstaking hand-drawn way, making it as crucial as ever in Los Angeles. 

October 8, 2024

What Chinatown Tenants Can Teach Us About Saving “Affordable Housing”

Almost 1 million “affordable” homes will disappear over the next decade in the U.S. as tenants struggle to pay a rent that they can’t afford, or have to move out.

October 8, 2024

Tens of Thousands of Fans Showed up to San Pedro for NOFX’s Final Show Ever

After 40 years, NOFX ended their storied career next to the San Pedro water, with a sea of fans and supporting punk bands watching the band go off into the sunset.

October 7, 2024

This Weekend: Jalisco-Style Wings, Duck Tamales on Abbot Kinney, and THC-Infused ‘Halloweed’ Candy

Are you brave enough to drink a cocktail from an I.V bag while watching Freddy Kruger do what he does best? Then there's a rooftop in Hollywood waiting for you.

October 4, 2024

Eight Sick Halloween Haunts In Los Angeles

From a theater experience that will scar you to a chance to play a character in a Halloween haunt, we have seven of the most immersive experiences in the city for your Halloween terror.

October 3, 2024
See all posts