A Memorable Day at the L.A. Times Festival of Books

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, I had such a memorable day with my children, sister, and nephew at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

This incredible festival first began back in 1996—30 years ago!—with the mission to bring together authors, readers, and creatives of all kinds to celebrate every genre imaginable. And what a celebration it was.

For me, it was almost a full-circle moment. It had been nearly 20 years since I last attended the festival with my sister. We were two young women in our 20s back then—she, the ultimate bookworm, and me… well, not quite a reader yet! I supported her passion, but honestly, reading just wasn’t my thing at the time.

Fast forward to today: life happened, and with it came new passions. I found myself falling in love with biographies—real stories, real people—and from there, a love for reading blossomed. It even led us to start our own book club, “Book Whores” (yes, you read that right!).

If it’s not a hardcover, it’s on Kindle. If not on Kindle, it’s an Audible download. Somehow, we always find a way to stay immersed in a good story.

Now, we’re grown women—strong mothers—just like our mother raised us to be. And this time, we were at the festival with our own children, passing down the love for books, imagination, and creativity.

Throughout the day, we experienced so many special moments:

• Watching the kids dive into children’s readings

• Crafting colorful DIY bookmarks

• Running through rain puddles, laughing and making memories

But beyond the joy of the day, there was something else that stood out so beautifully to me: the community of silver, gray, and salt-and-pepper beauties.

I was so inspired by seeing women of all ages proudly embracing their natural hair at the festival. Long, short, curly, straight—it didn’t matter.

There was a real pride, an unspoken grace, a confidence that lit up the entire event. And seeing it made my heart swell with excitement.

I cannot wait for next year’s Festival of Books. I already have a dream: to interview these stunning silver-haired sisters, to hear their stories, and to share their journeys with all of you here on the blog.

Here’s to celebrating every season of life—loudly, proudly, and beautifully.