YSU holds virtual edition of award-winning English Festival

After bringing thousands of middle and high school students to the Youngstown State University campus over the last 41 years, the award-winning YSU English Festival has planned this spring's event like none other in history. 

Scheduled for April 22 to 24 and cancelled due to the coronavirus, the 42nd edition of the Festival goes virtual this year, May 13, 14 and 15. 

Links to online Festival sessions and a schedule of events will be available on the event's website at www.ysuenglishfestival.org. Live events will take place on the Festival's Facebook's page. 

Highlights include a Q&A session with guest author Rita Williams-Garcia, a presentation from authors Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace, a poetry contest, book-list trivia and conversations about Festival art. Pre-recorded sessions will be available on the Festival YouTube channel.

Leading up to the virtual Festival, students should keep tabs on the website and social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram, for announcements on how to play trivia and how to enter and vote on the "Stay-at-Home Poetry Contest." Prizes will be awarded to outstanding entries as judged by Festival participants.

All pre-Festival contests will be judged and awarded as usual. Awards will be announced for the Candace Gay Essay Contest, the Festival Art Contest, and the Jeremy Salvner Music Contest. Students will also be able to submit questions in advance to the authors.

To submit questions or for further information about this year's online Festival, email info@ysuenglishfestival.org.