Come enjoy the 12th Annual FREE Chicago Latino Book & Family Festival on April 2-3, 2011, which features book readings, fun free activities for children and free live entertainment for the whole family, as well as Latino celebrities and award-winning authors who will discuss their latest books. The festival takes place at Unity Junior High School, 2101 South Laramie Ave., Cicero, Illinois. The event is free to the public and will be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Special guests this year include:
Leticia Calderón, the famous Mexican actress — She has taken part in several theatrical plays and soap operas (telenovelas). One of her most popular roles was Esmeralda in the hugely successful telenovela. She has gained fans and fame worldwide. In 2010, she wrote a book about her Down Syndrome son Luciano: Luciano: Un angel en mi vida (Luciano: an angel in my life).
Antonio Vazquez Alba, also known as “El Brujo Mayor” through 35 years has been forecasting the future in different fields. He has written several books and will promote his latest work Practical Guide to developing mental powers (Guía práctica para desarrollar los poderes mentales).
Alejandro Chabán is a Venezuelan actor who has performed in both English- and Spanish-language productions. His English credits include The Notorius Betty Page and a guest starring role on Monk, The Mentalist and The Perfect Game. He has appeared in Telemundo produced serials, such as Prisionera, Decisiones and El Rosto de Analía, and is also appearing as “Tony” in Eva Luna on Univision. And now Alejandro Chabán has launched his first book, De Gordo A Galán/From Fatty to Hottie which recounts the actor’s journey from childhood obesity to handsome leading man, a transformation he credits to the introduction of a healthy, active lifestyle. He motivates people to take their life back and win the battle against obesity, creating the movement called Alejandro’s Way.
Rutino Lara is the author of Meant to Be; the Right Place, the Right Time and is a winner of the inaugural 2010 Latino Book into Movies Awards that were awarded at the Los Angeles Latino Book & Family Festival last October 8. Mr. Lara will be part of the authors showcase panel.
Fernando Olszanski is an Argentine film director and author. His most recent book, El orden natural de las cosas, draws on the raw flow of urban prose. This collection of short stories reveals a naked reality where stories are populated with characters that are immigrants, some of them illegal, and people caught between undefined borders. Olszanski’s tightly written prose is fresh and genuine as the voices within these stories.
