The Birmingham Public Library Is Feeding the Mind, Body, and Soul During the Eat Drink Read Write Festival, Through October 10

Poster by Debra Riffe 

The Birmingham Public Library kicked off its Eat Drink Read Write Festival on October 3 with a soul food-themed poetry slam and beer tasting at the Central Library. Friday night's Bards & Brews event was the first of several set around a theme of food, drink, and literature. This is the third year for the festival, which will end on October 10.

Other events during the week will include:

• A panel discussion on living off the land
• A cocktail competition at The Collins Bar
• A latte art and story event at The Red Cat Coffeehouse
• A finale party at BPL's Central Library with Food Network Star Martie Duncan and some of her local restaurant friends. The October 10 party with Duncan will be $10. All other events are free.

The Central Library will also host two art displays with food themes.

• Debra Riffe's poster exhibit, Everybody's Gotta Eat, highlights Southern culture and its food. The posters feature Riffe's linoleum block relief prints. The display is on the Central Library's first floor, now through October 10.
• REV Birmingham Urban Food Project Presents The Urban Food Art Installation, which features images of farmers, Birmingham restaurants, and the group's urban food hub in Woodlawn. The photos, by Pulitzer Prize-nominated photographer Walt Stricklin, show all that goes into creating a robust local food economy. The installation is in the library's Fiction Department. It will be on display now through October 14.

Eat Drink Read Write T-shirts will be for sale at all festival events and at the Friends Bookstore at the Central Library.

Please visit the EDRW Festival page for more events.