Romance readers are about to take over North Avenue again. The second annual From Milwaukee With Love festival runs Sept. 10 through 13, bringing four days of author panels, book crawls, meet-and-greets, and themed parties to Milwaukee and Wauwatosa, with organizers expecting an even bigger turnout than last year’s inaugural event.
The festival is the work of Natasha Meyer, founder of Wisconsin’s first romance-only bookstore, The Well Red Damsel, and Destiny Van Hoesen, who runs the pop-up book fair brand MKE Books & Beers. As reported by TMJ4 News, Meyer and Van Hoesen are bringing back a celebration built specifically for romance authors, readers, and the local businesses that support them, and organizers say it is designed to welcome book lovers from around the world into Milwaukee’s literary community.
The weekend kicks off Sept. 10 with a paid Meet Cute Mixer & Craft Night at Prairie Springs on Park, according to The Well Red Damsel. Sept. 11 brings free author panels at the Milwaukee Central Library along with a paid Romance Rave dance party, and the weekend wraps with a paid Drag Bingo & Brunch at Pilot Project Brewing on Sept. 13.
Free Library Panels Pair Craft Talk With a Building Tour
The Central Library programming on Sept. 11 features visiting romance authors discussing book-to-screen adaptations, how they begin the writing process, and representation in romance, per the same event listing. The panels are followed by a public building tour led by the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library, and the library sessions require free online RSVPs, with an on-site coffee truck for attendees.
The Main Event: An 80-Author Book Crawl Down North Avenue
The festival’s centerpiece remains the Meet Me On North book crawl on Sept. 12, a free event that this year features more than 80 romance authors and vendors stationed across over 30 small businesses along North Avenue in Wauwatosa, according to Visit Milwaukee. Participants collect passport stamps at each stop for a shot at prizes, including a $500 bookstore gift card…