Photo from Media File.
Announcing the first ever, Phoenix Public Library’s Con-Fusion. Five Libraries, Five Saturdays, Five Genres with indoor and outdoor FREE and fun activities planned for the whole family. Join authors and artists for a world of inviting literary activities.
See below for detailed information on each of Con-Fusion’s five events planned for your local Phoenix Public Library throughout April and May, 2023.
Three Saturdays left, including this Saturday, May 6 at Mesquite Library. See below.
Cesar Chavez Library
“The Hero’s Journey,” a day of adventure and fantasy at Cesar Chavez Library and surrounding park on Saturday, April 22, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
In the Library: Children can make pirate crafts and teens can make Enchanted Tea Lights. All crafts available while supplies last. Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop gaming will be ongoing throughout the day.
Author and genre themed panels will be held at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:00. Featured authors’ books will be available for purchase. Have books signed by the authors hanging out in the Author Lounge.
In the Park: Local artists and artisans will have adventure and fantasy merchandise for sale. Wandering minstrels add ambience as you shop or get your face painted. Mermaids, pirates, fairies, and a giant kraken will be available for photo ops.
The stage area will feature performances by belly dancers, sword fighters, fire breathers and more. Need a rest during your adventure? Don’t forget to take a break and check out the food trucks in the parking lot. Cosplay is encouraged, but please leave all prop weapons at home.
Featured Author panels–
10:00 AM: Monsters and Mythology: Advice from authors to help you competently incorporate myths into your fiction.
1:00 PM: Location, Location, Location: How to build worlds in Urban, Alt, Historica, or high fantasy genres.
3:00 PM: Found Families-Creating a tribe with a focus on group dynamics in fiction and game play.
Featured performers and booths: The DREAD Fleet, Bint Hazine Belly Dancers, Dragon & Wolf Designs, Duncan’s Books & More, DCompany, Alex Naomi Studios, and much more.
Cesar Chavez Library is located in Cesar Chavez Park, at 3635 West Baseline Road, Phoenix, 85339.
Agave Library
“A Dark and Stormy Night” featuring mystery, gothic, and horror at Agave Library on Saturday, April 29, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Kids can enjoy spooky story time by the campfire and create their own ciphers and secret messages.
Teens and tweens can sign up for a Strang(er) Escape Room.
Author, artist, and information panels will be held at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:00.
Featured authors’ books will be available for purchase, and you may be able to have your books signed by the authors hanging out in the Author Lounge. Local artists and artisans will have Mystery and Horror merchandise for sale.
Featured panels–
10:00 AM: The Butler Didn’t Do It: Solving the mystery of mystery writing, and avoiding cliches to create a complete mystery.
1:00 PM: The Horror and How-to of Monsters: Visualize the monster within
3:00 PM: Ghostbusting: Finding the Paranormal
Escape Room Sessions (limited entry, front desk sign ups) at 10 AM, 11 AM, 2 PM, and 3 PM.
Spooky Campfire Stories (seating limited, first come first serve) at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM, and 3:30 PM.
Featured performers and booths : The AZ Ghostbusters, Duncan’s Books & More, Dragon & Wolf Designs, Alex Naomi Studios and more.
Agave Library is located at 23550 North 36th Avenue, Phoenix, 85310.
Mesquite Library
“The Final Frontier” featuring science fiction and space at Mesquite Library on Saturday, May 6, from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Kids can make sabers, and teens can learn about astrology charts. All projects available while supplies last.
Author, artist, and information panels will be held at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:00. Featured authors’ books will be available for purchase, and you may even be able to have the books signed by the authors hanging out in the Author Lounge.
Local artists and artisans will have science fiction and space merchandise for sale. Cosplay is encouraged, but please leave all prop weapons at home.
Featured Author panels–
10:00 AM: Space Tech: How do characters survive in the vacuum?
1:00 PM: Envisioning Extraterrestrials: creation and design of aliens in books, on screen, and in gaming.
3:00 PM: To Infinity and Beyond: Mapping the stars where astronomy and wormholes meet.
Featured performers and booths: Star Trek United Federation of Phoenix (UFP), Dragon & Wolf Designs, DCompany, Duncan’s Books & More, and more.
Mesquite Library is located at 4525 East Paradise Village Parkway North, Phoenix, 85032.
Cholla Library
“A Spring Fling” featuring romance and poetry at Cholla Library on Saturday, May 13 from 10 AM to 4 pm.
Kids can make book page flowers, and teens can make art inspired poetry. All projects available while supplies last.
Author panels will be held at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:00. Featured authors’ books will be available for purchase, and you may even be able to have the books signed by the authors hanging out in the Author Lounge.
Local artists and artisans will have romance and poetry inspired merchandise for sale.
Featured panels–
10:00 AM: Getting Your Dates Right: doing the historical research
1:00 PM: Marrying Genres: romance blooms in all genres
3:00 PM: Poetry Slam
Featured performers and booths: Sky Locket Studios, Dragon & Wolf Designs, Duncan’s Books & More, and more!
Cholla Library is located at 10050 Metro Parkway East, Phoenix, 85051.
Ironwood Library
“Weird and Wild West” featuring western and steampunk fun at Ironwood Library on Saturday, May 20 from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Kids can learn about Native American art and use the same art techniques to make their own craft provided with partnership with the Heard Museum. Teens can make Steampunk book page mobiles.
Author panels will be held at 10:00, 1:00, and 3:00. Local author books will be available for purchase, and you may even be able to have the books signed by the authors hanging out in the Author Lounge.
Local artists and artisans will have Western and Steampunk inspired merchandise for sale. Cosplay is encouraged, but please leave all prop weapons at home.
Featured panels–
10:00 AM: Reach For the Sky: How to find success in various publishing markets
1:00 PM: Mining the Past: How to properly punk the past
3:00 PM: Space, Steam & Spaghetti: the takes on traditional “Western” tropes
Featured performers and booths will be announced at a later date.
Ironwood Library is located at 4333 East Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, 85048.
For the Phoenix Public Library’s Events Calendar, click here. Then, click on the specific library.
Phoenix on the Cheap will update this post as further details are announced.
Note: As a confessed book-geek, it must be noted, I work part-time for the Phoenix Public Library. If I’ve missed an event at the library in your neighborhood, please let me know here at Phoenix on the Cheap: news@phoenixonthecheap.com
