Enlarge Author Chris Garner at the 2009 Charlotte Literary Festival

Posted: September 9th, 2010 Tonya Jameson

Every year Darren “Jaz” Vincent wonders whether he should hold the Charlotte Literary Festival. Every year something or someone rejuvenates his commitment to the event.

This year was no different. The two-day festival started September 10 and features two new elements: a neo-soul festival and an expanded kids area. It will be at The Park this year. Vincent hopes the festival will attract more people than last year.

The 2009 festival was in NoDa, and drew slightly less than 3,000 people. That’s less than half the people who attended in 2008 when the festival was at the Charlotte Convention Center uptown. Vincent would like to return to Convention Center, but can’t afford to. Each year it's harder and harder to find sponsors for the event.

“I wanted to skip this year because I didn’t see financially how to make this work,” Vincent said.

In an act of desperation he contacted author Susan Taylor and poet Sonia Sanchez about speaking at the event. Both agreed to participate at a rate Vincent could afford. A few days later, Shannon Wright contacted him about bringing neo-soul acts to the festival. Just like that, the event was back.

“I stopped looking at numbers, took logic out the way and started depending on faith again,” he said.

The festival now boasts Taylor and Sanchez, along with local writers and singers Dwele and N’dambi. Its new name: the Charlotte Literary and Neo-soul Festival. It features writers, singers and workshops. The kids’ activities are called the Kids Korner and include face painting, arts and crafts and more.

Vincent is excited about the lineup, but still longs to find a permanent home for the event. He’s still trying to find the perfect combination of speakers, workshops and vendors to  draw a more diverse audience to the festival.

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