If you're a reader or a writer, this weekend is your big annual festival. It's the weekend that you can mingle with authors, hear readings, attend panel discussions and classes about writing and even buy books.

The event is April 4-6 in the River Market. Most events are free, but some do carry a small fee. One of the big events is an author party which is about $55 to attend, but you get to mingle with festival authors and even have them sign your books. Former White House chef Roland Mesnier will be doing a pastry demonstration which also carries a fee, $15. There are many more free events than pay events. Check the schedule (PDF). The topics range from Willie Nelson and sociology to Arkansas fiction and sci-fi.

If you have kids or teens, they have specific schedules and events catering to them. For teens there is an anti-bullying workshop and a reader's theater. For kids, they have many readings from children's book authors and some hands-on activities for them.

Featured authors include Jill Connor Browne, political commentator E.J. Dionne, mystery novelists Ace Atkins and Carolyn Hart, novelists Kevin Brockmeier, Donald Harington, cookbook and children's author Crescent Dragonwagon and historians Margaret Bolsterli and Carolyn LeMaster.

More April Events.