New Book Industry Events Slated for Summer

Industry publication Publishers Weekly has announced the launch of the U.S. Book Show, set to take place May 26–28, 2021, while Edelweiss by Above the Treeline announced the launch of Edelweiss BookFest, to be held June 8–9, 2021.

Publishers Weekly’s book fair is set to serve the global bookselling and book publishing industry and will be held virtually for its year-one debut. 

“Publishers Weekly brings the leadership, brand, and marketing reach into the global industry that will set the stage for the success of the U.S. Book Show,” said Cevin Bryerman, executive v-p and publisher of Publishers Weekly. “The U.S. Book Show fills a void left in the U.S. book publishing industry. Publishers Weekly has the experience, 150 years of book industry expertise, and dedication to excellence in producing this virtual book show.” 

The virtual book fair will feature Book Buzz and Galleys-to-Grab author events aimed at librarians and booksellers; extensive professional development programming geared to booksellers, librarians, publishers, and literary agents; and exhibitor booths available on a sliding scale meant to attract displays from a range of vendors, from small presses to midsize imprints, university presses, sideline producers, distributors, library data providers, and the largest publishers. Self-published authors will be served under an adjacent virtual “pavilion” and include panel discussions and networking get-togethers. The PW Show Daily will anchor the fair, publishing news, listing panels, and events, providing a venue for publishers to promote their forthcoming titles and generally tying all the fair events together. 

Meanwhile, Edelweiss BookFest is a virtual event designed to create a gathering place for all members of the book publishing industry. 

Preliminary education tracks will include: New Title Discovery, Retail Bookselling, Library Best Practices, and a special track on revenue generation in the evolving pandemic period. Edelweiss BookFest will consist of virtual booths for attendees to visit that will enable live conversations, videos, and downloadable tools for sales and marketing. The two-day event will be preceded by a series of individual book launches using an expanded Edelweiss platform.

John Rubin, CEO of Edelweiss by Above the Treeline, commented, “We repeatedly hear from our customers that there continues to be a need to bring together the market, particularly in such times of uncertainty. Stores are looking for ways to drive sales and survive the pandemic period by reaching the expanding online reader audience. Publishers want new ways to highlight their authors and fuel new and traditional revenue streams for all parties. Edelweiss BookFest will provide a new way to put more books in people’s hands.”