Last Saturday, I experienced one of the best things ever offered in Sevierville: the Rose Glen Literary Festival. I had not attended in the past due to schedule conflicts or thinking that it was purely for writers. When I saw the speaker line up for this year, it became a ‘must see’ event. So glad that my friends and I were able to attend  this amazing local festival. Surely,  there is something for everyone.

The Rose Glen Literary Festival takes place in the Sevierville Convention Center. This is the best place for the event due to the crowds and vendors that I witnessed on Saturday. What a nice location and property. It truly is a pleasant place to spend several hours.

The event is free; there is only a charge for lunch. I could not believe that such a high caliber event was free to the public! What a treasure!

One of the most popular and highly attended sessions, of course, was presented by Dr. Bill Bass. Dr. Bass is professor of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, an author, and a nationally known forensic expert. I have heard his presentations before and knew that he was not to be missed. You need to arrive early to secure a seat.

I was even more excited because I was lucky enough to take Anthropology 101 while attending UT— taught by Dr. Bass himself. How lucky can you be? I am definitely a fan.

Frank Murphy, a Knoxville talent, often works with Dr. Bass and presided over the questions at the end of the presentation. This session was standing room only. In the future, I recommend that any conference who hosts a session by Dr. Bass consider doubling the size of the room because it will be packed.

We appreciated the stories and admired the color of Dr. Bass’s tie. Go Vols!

The skylights, large windows, and neutral decor create a pleasant area to shop for books. Many attendees bought at least one or two books to take home that afternoon.

I picked up a copy of this local publication.

Sam Venable is a local writer and his columns in the News Sentinel always make me chuckle. Joey Rose gets an autograph on his new book.

I saw this article in the Mountain Press and realized an important opportunity to hear a witness to history. His presentation was riveting. Everyone should hear Walter Ziffer’s message.

I hope to read his book very soon.

Sheley was impressed with this presentation and bought the book in order to continue reading Walter Ziffer’s story. Had he been the only speaker at the event, it would have been sufficient because the session was extraordinary.

There were books on local history and personalities. I danced twice on the Cas Walker Show when I was six years old so I had to pick up that one to take home.

My friends told me that the Keynote speaker during the luncheon was outstanding and they bought several of her books. I hope to read them soon myself. She will also participate in a literary festival in Asheville next month if anyone wants to hear more.

Luncheon attendees were delighted to receive a souvenir gift created by the Old Mill Pottery shop in Pigeon Forge. What better way to enjoy a book or morning reading?

I spied a free gift in the back pages of the Rose Glen program. This is a good bookstore so we will visit within the next few weeks!

In conclusion, the Rose Glen Literary Festival was a revelation to me because of so many good books, authors, and speakers. Many thanks to the planners and organizers of this event. It was truly a treasure and we are lucky to have it in Sevierville. I never plan to miss another one. See you next year!