Gaithersburg Book Festival Goes Virtual

By Gail Norris | Published April 6, 2020

Event at Bohrer Park on May 16 Cancelled

Gaithersburg, MD (April 1, 2020) Due to the ongoing public health crisis, the City of Gaithersburg announced the cancellation of the Gaithersburg Book Festival (GBF) scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm. Plans are underway to provide some of the planned programming virtually.

With a Stay at Home Order in place in Maryland until further notice, with a requirement that only essential employees report for work, and with ongoing gathering and social distancing restrictions, the City has determined that it cannot safely host this event.

“Sadly, circumstances have reached the point where we have to change gears on our beloved Gaithersburg Book Festival,” said Gaithersburg Mayor and Book Festival Founder Jud Ashman. “We will not be coming together – at least not face-to-face – but we are looking at creative ways to deliver some programming that connects our loyal patrons with their favorite authors.”

The Gaithersburg READS dialog between “American Dirt” author Jeanine Cummins and “The Distance Between Us” author Reyna Grande, originally scheduled for March 31, will be rescheduled.

Details about virtual GBF programming will be posted on the Festival website at www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org. You can also subscribe to the GBF newsletter and follow the Festival on Facebook and Twitter @GburgBookFest.

To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, the City of Gaithersburg has closed all facilities and cancelled all programs and activities through at least April 30, 2020. Official City updates are made on the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov and on Facebook and Twitter @GburgMD.