26th Annual Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival - March 3-4, 2023
The 26th Annual Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival on March 3-4, 2023 faculty includes Marla Frazee, Liz Garton Scanlon, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Deborah Hopkinson, and Lee Wardlaw.
Redlands, CA — Registration for the 26th Annual Children’s Literature Festival, also known as the Charlotte S. Huck Festival, will close on Friday, February 24, 2023. The two-day conference (Friday and Saturday, March 3-4) is open to anyone interested in learning about and engaging with children’s literature. This year’s faculty includes Marla Frazee, Deborah Hopkinson, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Lee Wardlaw. Founding committee member Dr. Marjorie Arnett also serves on the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California board of directors. This year, CLCSC board members Alethea Allarey and Alyson Beecher will also be presenting at Huck Festival, at a session called “Celebrating Southern California Authors”.
Here’s a guide to attending the festival.
What can new attendees expect at the Festival?
Trees at the University of Redlands, 2020
Attendees gather at the Orton Center at the beginning and end of the festival, during lunches, and for the faculty presentations which are spread out over two days. The Orton Center also houses the Book Market vendors.
In between the large sessions, small sessions meet in other buildings or classrooms according to a schedule and map provided at check-in.
Refreshments (water, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, light snacks) are usually available throughout the day just past the check-in desk, but you may bring in your own. The lunches are catered (specify dietary needs when you register), and look out on Saturday as there are usually fresh-picked oranges from one of the organizer’s trees! There are sometimes appetizers/snacks available during the book signing period.
There is usually a small outdoor space in front of the Orton Center with tables and chairs for anyone who needs a break/quiet time. You can also roam the beautiful campus.
This year’s Book Market vendors include San Marino Toy & Book Shoppe, Art Kandy, and Brown Bag Books. Find out more about them here.
How do I register?
Author illustrator Salina Yoon and a friend wearing a top hat and a heart pin act out Yoon's picture book, Be a Friend, on stage at the Orton Center during the 25th Charlotte Huck Festival in 2022.
The link to the registration page is here.
It’s best to get the rest of your registration info from that page directly. University students also get a deep discount!
You can also pre-register for the following year’s festival using a form in the attendee packet.
If staying overnight, mention code #1480 to the Ayres Hotel Redlands when booking your stay to receive the festival rate. Info here at the bottom of the page, or call the hotel at (909) 335-9024. (Word to the wise, if you stay with them, the Ayres has a great breakfast buffet.)
The scholarship deadline is already past for 2023, but if you’re planning to attend next year and qualify for the scholarship, make sure to get your application in before the next deadline.
Anything else I should know?
Inigo Montoya’s Guide to Networking Success meme
You can learn more about the festival’s founder and namesake, Charlotte S. Huck, here and on YouTube.
You’re on your own for dinner on Friday night (as in, it’s not included in the Festival’s scheduled meals). But there are lots of places to dine or get takeout in Downtown Redlands!
There is usually an opportunity drawing to fundraise for the nonprofit that coordinates the annual festival. The prizes are fantastic, especially if you love books!
Don’t be shy—you will likely end up sitting with folks you have never met, even if you are already attending with friends you know well. Introduce yourself and be inclusive. The author and illustrator speakers as well as your fellow attendees are here to engage with and enjoy our book-loving community.
In between sessions, folks will usually park their extra belongings at the table where they started out in the morning, and return there throughout the day. Plan on taking valuables (wallet, keys, electronics, important stuff) with you to the small sessions, or plan on a way to transport everything with you (books can get heavy! you might need a bag with wheels). It’s best not to leave anything on top of the table, as the caterers must clean up and re-set the tables while attendees are out.
The festival is always looking for feedback, so be sure to fill out and return the survey forms handed out at every breakout session. In the attendee packet, there is also a form to share comments at the end of the festival as well as submit your ideas for future sessions.
We hope to see you there! If you have suggestions for future Huck Festival attendees, please do share them with us by emailing communications@childrensliteraturecouncil.org.