What: 3rd Annual Brooklyn Book Festival: Poets and Authors in conversation, Readings for adults, Performances for children.
Where: Borough Hall
When: Sunday, September 14th, 10a.m.-6p.m.
Why: In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “You can’t live without books.” This Sunday afternoon, surround yourself with the people who have given us a reason to read addictively and write more better. You could spend the entire day at the Brooklyn Book Festival hobnobbing with the likes of Russel Banks, Joan Didion, Jonathan Franzen, A.M. Homes, Michael Moore, David Rakoff, Jonathan Lethem, Dorothy Allison, the list goes on.
A few events of note: At 3 p.m. in the Borough Hall Courtroom, a panel of authors will discuss “Identity and Struggle in Contemporary Fiction,” which will include readings by Elizabeth Nunez (Prospero’s Daughter) and Terry McMillan (Waiting to Exhale). At 5:00 p.m., international bestseller Jonathen Franzen (The Corrections) will read and be among a discussion on “Top Shelf Fiction.” On the South Stage, BAM will present a snippet of its Puppet Play, “A Quarreling Pair.” On the Youth Stoop at 5 p.m., author Will Wright will present a dramatic reading of “When the Black Girl Sings” with performances by members of the cast of The Color Purple and Coram Boy.
Bring a journal, notebook or iphone; this festival is sure to inspire you to continue burning the midnight oil penning that next great American novel. For a full list of stages, panels and times, visit brooklynbookfestival.com.
Cost: Free, although some events are ticketed. Tickets can be claimed at festival booths one hour in advance of the program.
Photos: Courtesy of Brooklyn Borough President’s Office
How to get there: Take the 2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall; R to Court Street; A, C, F to Jay Street/Borough Hall and pray it’s not raining.
(Borough Hall Plaza, 209 Joralemon St., Brooklyn, 718.802.3852, brooklynbookfestival.org)
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram