A Bronx native is turning her dream of a holding a book festival in her borough into a reality.
Sareciea Fennell started a Kickstarter campaign to start the first-ever Bronx book festival for the area that hasn't had a bookstore since Barnes and Noble closed in 2016.
She started the campaign on March 26 and as of Sunday she had raised $30,000.
The event will feature award-winning and bestselling authors and illustrators and also will cover a wide range of topics through panels and workshops.
Fennell says she's excited about the opportunity for everyone to enjoy the festival.
"If you have never met an author, you want to be there. If you have never met an illustrator, you want to be there. If you have never picked up a book, you want to be there. If you want to learn about book publishing, you want to be there. If you want to just want to hang out and be around people enjoying reading, you want to be there so it's really for everyone," says Fennell.
The two-day festival scheduled for May 18 and 19 will take place at Fordham Plaza, a location she says she chose because it is centrally located and accessible to all from the Bronx.