Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) has been buzzing with activity this spring. Early Giving for East Texas Giving Day has begun. WCA is participating in East Texas Giving Day through April 26 and funds raised will go directly to support the 2022 Winnsboro Festival of Books on May 7.
East Texas Giving Day is an 18-hour day of giving that provides critical funding for Northeast Texas area nonprofits. The purpose of an area-wide Giving Day is to bring the region together on one day and as one community, raising money and awareness for East Texas nonprofits. This initiative, organized by East Texas Communities Foundation, provides citizens an easy platform to support the mission of local nonprofits that serve the area’s many communities.
Although donors can participate in Early Giving by going to www.easttexasgivingday.org/WCA, there will be opportunities for WCA to win prizes and compete for the most money raised through East Texas Giving Day from 6 am – midnight on April 26. WCA’s goal is to raise $7,500.
People who prefer to give in person or who want to cheer WCA on during East Texas Giving Day are invited to 200 Market St. Winnsboro, Texas from 8 am – 5 pm April 26. Donuts and coffee will be available from 8 – 11 am. Everyone is welcome to make some noise for WCA during a community drum circle from 4 – 5 pm. All ages are welcome to bring whatever percussion instruments they may have or WCA will have a variety of percussion instruments available.
WCA engages people in the arts through entertainment, education, and cultural experiences. The 503(c)(3) nonprofit has numerous music and theater productions, festivals and special events, classes, private lessons, and workshops every year that serve Winnsboro and the surrounding areas. One of those festivals and cultural experiences is the Winnsboro Festival of Books from 9 am – 4 pm May 7 on Market St. in Winnsboro, Texas. This annual festival is free and open to the public.
The mission of WCA’s annual book festival is to bring readers and writers together to share in a myriad of adventures that books offer as they expand knowledge, spark imagination, and encourage life-long learning for people of all ages. WCA’s vision for the festival is to grow literacy and cultivate connections that enrich cultural experiences in Northeast Texas.
Author panels will discuss a variety of genres while children’s activities take place throughout the day including hosting children’s authors, a story walk, and storytime art activities. Every child in attendance will receive a free children’s book. There will also be activities for people with special needs and their families including a community drum circle and an author panel that explores books relating to special needs. Donations made on East Texas Giving Day will ensure that the Winnsboro Festival of Books is accessible to everyone.
Dallas Morning News writer, Michael Granberry, will lead the afternoon session with a keynote address. Sports fans may be excited to hear about Granberry’s forthcoming book about the Dallas Cowboys and the stadium that changed American sports. Readers can sign up to receive a copy when it is released this fall.
Panel discussions by authors of Poetry and Mystery will follow the keynote address to round out the program. Authors from all over the state will showcase their books for sale throughout the day. In the evening, there will be a spoken word performance featuring Billy Henderson at 7 pm on the Bowery Stage at 200 Market St.
It was a wise person who once said, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” Every word one speaks, every action they take, dollar they donate, or book they put into the hands of a child makes an impact whether they see it or not. The long-lasting benefits of community cultural experiences such as a book festival or a drum circle will continue to bloom.
View the schedule of events for this year’s Winnsboro Festival of Books at www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com/literary_events.
