LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky Humanities hosted the 42nd annual Kentucky Book Festival at Joseph-Beth Booksellers.

Local author Gwenda Bond, who is a New York Times best-seller, was at the festival and said it was a great opportunity to connect with her readers.

“I do think it is always good, like, to be able to meet readers face-to-face and, you know, just as readers feel distant from authors, like, I think the same is true so I think that’s why most authors really enjoy events like this where they can meet their readers face-to-face and it’s always nice to, like, be told that someone enjoyed your book,” said Bond.

Bond also helped to create a nonprofit, the Lexington Writer’s Room, which is a community writing space that gives local writers the opportunity to support one another.

“Even though writing is a solitary activity, we all benefit and learn from each other and there’s just nothing like being in a community with other writers and living in a community that supports writers and their writing,” said Bond.

The festival is one way that authors are celebrated in Lexington. It is the largest and longest running literary event in the state, according to Katerina Stoykova, the director of the festival.

Over 100 authors set up tables with their books displayed; people could stop by to purchase a book and get it signed.

“We believe that this is a valuable event for everybody who writes but also for everybody who reads and especially young people who need to see frequently that people buy books and people, you know, read books,” said Stoykova.

There were several activities for children to do and vouchers being given to kids for them to get a free book.