In 2001, four residents of Amelia Island, just north of Jacksonville off Florida’s northeast coast, had the idea of combining their love of books with the lure of their island environment. Don and Andrea Parker and Joe and Joani Selement gathered supporters, established a non-profit organization, and launched the Amelia Book Island Festival.

The festival takes place in Fernandina Beach, the historic town at the heart of Amelia Island, during the first weekend of October. The 2006 festival is scheduled for October 5 through 8.

"We set out to create an affordable, lively event promoting two concepts: that reading is great fun, and good writing makes good reading," says Joani Selement. She tells the story of Hay-on-Wye, a Welsh hamlet where book lovers began a Book Town movement in 1988. Today, the little village is filled with shops and stalls appealing to bibliophiles.

"We wanted to go one better," says Don Parker, "being unique as the Book Island." The concept has attracted avid readers and respected authors from the beginning, allowing them to mingle at a wide variety of lectures, discussions, workshops, author readings, book signings and social events.

"We have always made our festival as affordable as possible, with many events offered free of charge," says Don Parker. "What people find so special is the wonderful setting and our informal but well organized presentations."

Amelia island is a 13-mile-long barrier island discovered by Europeans four centuries ago. Reached by bridge from mainland Florida, it is a popular recreational area with miles of beaches, 40-foot sand dunes and marshes. Its only town is Fernandina Beach, a once-vibrant seaport considered to be the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry. The shrimp boats still depart from the docks most days. However, the mass commercialization of the 20th century passed by the town, leaving a 50-block historic district with many original structures dating from the late 19th century. Vintage downtown storefronts now house diverse shops, galleries and restaurants. And Victorian mansions have been converted to bed-and-breakfast inns.

Headquarters for the Amelia Book Island Festival is St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, with an attractive courtyard and several meeting rooms where workshops, author talks and book signings are held. Other venues range from the Fernandina Beach Library to the Amelia Community Theater to various island restaurants.

Among the three dozen authors expected at the 2006 festival are: Tim Dorsey of Florida, who injects his crime novels with wacky humor (Florida Roadkill); Donna Woolfolk Cross of New York, who writes historical fiction (Pope Joan); Karen Zacharias of Georgia, who authors non-fiction (After the Flag Has Been Folded); Melinda Long of North Carolina, who pens children’s books (Hiccup Snickup); and Maurice Manning of Indiana, who produces poetry (A Companion for Owls).

In addition to events for adults, a part of the festival called the Children’s Chapter offers activities designed to stimulate the imagination and challenge the creativity of youngsters aged four to 12. These activities are intended to encourage children not only to read but also to tell their own stories, in effect becoming authors themselves.

And for everyone, there’s Marketplace, selling books by festival featured authors and program presenters. It also includes representatives of organizations and companies in tune with the festival’s mission of promoting literacy and the joy of reading.

British Columbia travel writer Toni Dabbs is a regular contributor to The Cultured Traveler.