Edible Book Festival facts for kids
The International Edible Book Festival is a fun, yearly event. It usually happens around April 1st, which is also called Edible Book Day. People all over the world have celebrated this festival since the year 2000. During the festival, people create amazing "edible books." These are artworks made from food that look like books or are inspired by books.
First, these edible books are put on display and photographed. Then, the best part happens: they get eaten! Groups from many countries, like Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, and Russia, often join in. The festival was started in 2000 by Judith A. Hoffberg and Béatrice Coron.
The festival celebrates the birthday of a French food writer named Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. He was born in 1755 and wrote a famous book called Physiologie du goût (which means "Physiology of Taste"). This book was a funny and clever look at food. April 1st is also April Fools' Day, which makes it a perfect time to "eat your words" and have fun with food that looks like books!
Contents
How to Join the Fun
Want to make your own edible book? Here are the main rules for participating in this unique festival:
When to Celebrate
The festival must take place on April 1st or very close to that date. It's a special day for edible creations!
What Makes an Edible Book?
Your edible creation needs to be "bookish." This means it should look like a book, have words on it, or be inspired by a story or a book. Think about your favorite books and how you could turn them into something delicious!
Sharing Your Creation
If you or your group want to join, you need to register with the festival's organizers. It's important to take pictures of your edible book. These photos are collected and might even be put into a special book about the festival!
Where the Festival is Celebrated
Many places around the world hold their own Edible Book Festival events. Each celebration is a little different and very creative!
Celebrations in Germany and the USA
In 2005, the festival was a joint effort in Hamburg, Germany. Pastry chefs made incredible edible books there. These food artworks were shown off, photographed, and then enjoyed by everyone. That same year, Los Angeles in the USA also had an "Annual International Edible Book High/Low Tea." Artists were encouraged to create and eat their book-inspired treats.
In 2006, a magazine called Indianapolis Monthly described the festival in Indianapolis as a "quirky event." It celebrated both food and books on April Fools' Day. People made foods that looked like famous book titles.
Ohio's Yearly Festival
Loganberry Books in Shaker Heights, Ohio, has hosted an edible books festival every April since 2004. In 2013, they gave out awards for the most literary, most appetizing, most book-like, and most creative edible books.
University of Florida's Contest
The University of Florida library holds an "Edible Book Contest" every April. This event is part of National Library Week. They have two main rules: the entry must be edible, and it must relate to a book in some way. Besides edible books, people also create "edible book trucks" and "edible bookmarks."
The event starts with everyone viewing the entries. Each creation has a card explaining the book title, author, and who made the edible art. Judges and the public vote on their favorites. Awards are given in fun categories like "Most Creative," "Least Edible," and "Best Overall Fiction." In 2010, they planned awards for "Best Overall Entry," "Best Book Theme," and "Best Pun."
Nebraska's Banned Books Event
Perkins Library at Hastings College in Nebraska, USA, celebrated Banned Books Week in 2008 with an edible book contest. Guests were invited to eat dishes and baked goods that looked like covers of banned books. Some dishes even reflected the content of those books. It was a clever way to celebrate books and freedom of reading!
A Newspaper's April Fools' Joke
In 2011, a British newspaper called Metro played an April Fools' joke. They claimed they would start printing their newspaper on "sweet tasting paper." They said it would give customers "news in the best possible taste." Later, the newspaper explained it was just a joke for April Fools' Day.
