GOOD NEWS: YALLFest comes to Charleston this weekend

Staff reports  |  YALLFest, the world’s largest Young Adult Book Festival, hits Charleston this weekend with more than 30 authors in town to tell stories, sign books and have fun with readers.

Among the events on tap (click here to see schedule):

• 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11:  YALLCrawl in which favorite authors sign books all over town.  (There are a lot of rules with no more than three books per author and that some books may be pre-signed, but you can ask for personalization.)

• 3 p.m. Friday:  Fierce Friday, Charleston Museum Courtyard, in which a group of bestselling authors attend a free preview event.

• 10 am. Saturday, Nov. 12:  Opening Keynote, Charleston Music Hall.  A conversation with Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir.  Sold out.

• 2 p.m., Saturday:  Spotlight on author Eoin Colfer, Charleston Music Hall.  A conversation with the author of the Artemis Fowl series.  $8.

• 6 p.m., Saturday:  YA Smackdown, Charleston Music Hall.  Sold out.

There are also lots of author panels at the American Theater, Epic Reads sessions in the theater’s lounge, as well as signings at the Best Friend Train Museum, Courtyard, a Blue Bicycle Books tent on King Street, Pure Theatre, Kudu and lots more.  Click here to see the packed venue schedule.

In other good news:

Hamilton to have poetry reading.  Charleston native and award-winning writer Kendra Hamilton will provide a poetry reading at McLeod Plantation Historic site on James Island at 2 p.m. Nov. 13 in partnership with the James Island Arts Committee.  Hamilton, who has been featured on C-SPAN, NPR and other outlets, write our Palmetto Poem in October 2015.

Nominations sought.  The City of Charleston is seeking nominations for the 18^th annual Harold Koon Award for Excellence in Volunteer Service through Nov. 30, 2016.  The Harold Koon Award for Excellence in Volunteer Service was created in 1999, to honor of the memory of Harold Koon, a devoted and passionate neighborhood leader who passed away in 1998.  The application for nominations and more information about Koon is available on the City of Charleston Neighborhood Services website.  Applications for nominations can also be obtained by calling the Neighborhood Services Office at 843-958-6407.