The CLE Reads Book Festival aims to promote literacy and foster a deep love for reading within the Cleveland community, with a particular focus on our local youth. The festival will emphasize the importance of championing diversity in what we read and recommend to others. Not only will the festival highlight work from several local authors, it will also feature award-winning and best-selling writers from across the country, serving as an opportunity to highlight the beauty of our community beyond our borders. We are well aware of the rich reading culture already established in the Greater Cleveland area, and our mission is to expand upon those traditions, while also spearheading a new literary experience for all residents and visitors.

We are especially honored to work in partnership with the Cleveland Public Library, as an integral part of their bicentennial celebration this summer. Our other major partner is impact!, an after-school college access program hosted by College Now Greater Cleveland. Impact! is dedicated to assisting underserved middle school and high school teens with their coursework and ultimately with preparation for college.

As such, we are providing transportation to and from the festival for at least 100 local teens and we have secured funding to gift each participating teen two books.

Additionally, in the spirit of community, we have invited local independent booksellers; they will have a selection of books for young and old, including those written by our attending authors, for purchase.