Friday, October 23, 2026
Book Launch Party and Poetry Readings by Allison Wilkins and Christopher Bakken
Allison Wilkins is the author of House of Broken Tables (2026) , which won the 2025 Donna Wolf Palace Poetry Prize, and Girl Who (2014). Other poems and essays have appeared in Sierra Magazine, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Birmingham Poetry Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Superstition Review, and The Lyric. She is the assistant director for Writing Workshops in Greece and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 500), who teaches weekly classes at Yoga Spot. When not in the Novice Room at The Learning Center, she can be found hiking or playing outdoors with her family.
Christopher Bakken is the author of four books of poetry, most recently Driving the Beast (a 2025 Sewanee Poetry selection from LSU Press), as well as the culinary memoir, Honey, Olives, Octopus: Adventures at the Greek Table. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in places including POETRY, The Paris Review, The Southern Review, Ploughshares, and Best American Poetry. Twice a Fulbright Scholar, Bakken is Director of Writing Workshops in Greece and he teaches at Allegheny College.
Saturday, October 24, 2026
12-4 - Local Author Meet and Greet
We’re hosting a group of local authors who will be set up to sell and sign copies of their books! Drop in to chat with some incredibly talented writers and grab some new reading material.
12-4 - Pop Up Book Shopping
We’ll have a pop up shop by Tattered Corners onsite!
12-1 (Pending Confirmation)
Interactive Storytelling with Geoff Hall at the Penny Smith Theater.
12-3 Art Bar
Drop in and create a some book themed crafts!
3-5 Exploring Memoir: A Writing Workshop with Catharina Coenen
Sometimes, the relationships and family stories that we most need to write about resist letting themselves be put into words. We start to write and fail, or we stare at a blank screen—not because we have too little to say, but maybe because our hearts are too full and no words seem like they could be enough. Experimenting with different forms of writing can provide a container that holds what needs to be said, so that it can pour itself onto the page.
In this workshop, we will explore different forms memoir to invite difficult relationships to the page. Beginning from short readings from her essay collection Unexploded Ordnance, Catharina Coenen will guide writers to to create space for needed words.
More information and registration here!
5-6 Book Talk: Creating Believable Characters with Amanda Pica
In order to write (and keep track of!) emotionally complex characters, writers need tools. Personality psychology gives us a ready-made framework to use that will help us craft varied, deep characters, and to do so with intention.
This presentation will review the Five-Factor Model in personality theory, and teach you how to apply it to your character development.
7-9 Lord of the Rings Trivia
Journey through the ultimate test of Lord of the Rings movie trivia! Teams can be up to four people, all ages welcomed. Participants over the age of 21 are welcome to BYOB. There is no fee to participate, but free will donations to support to efforts of the French Creeks Arts Collective are gratefully accepted.
Sunday, October 25, 2026
11-12 - Exploring Illustrators: Eric Carle
Kids 3-6 and a caregiver are invited to join teaching artist Emily Cicora for stories and art inspired by Eric Carle.
12-1 - Silent Book Club with Meadville Public Library
Bring a book and join us for some quiet reading time with fellow book enthusiasts! Coffee and tea will be provided, other drinks and donuts can be purchased from Dominico or Cup N Spoon.
1-2 - Self-Publishing- Like a Publisher with Christian Hurst
The tools, decisions, and pitfalls behind a professional independent book
Self-publishing is about far more than uploading a manuscript to Amazon. In this practical workshop, award-winning independent author and creative director Christian Hurst breaks down the tools, decisions, and professional standards behind producing a polished independent book.
Learn the basics of editing, cover design, formatting, ISBNs, metadata, print-on-demand, distribution, reviews, discoverability, and working with bookstores—along with common mistakes that can make an otherwise strong book look amateur. The workshop also explores affordable tools and human resources writers can use to publish professionally without relying on generative AI.
This session is offered free of charge, but please register here!
2-4 - Book Bingo!
The Blushing Bookery will be hosting Book Bingo at French Creek Arts Collective on Sunday, October 25th, bingo starts at 2PM.
You will get the chance to win a Book Basket, which includes a new book and bookish goodies. There will be multiple rounds of bingo to win.
Each ticket includes:
3 Bingo Cards (more available for purchase at the door)
(1) Raffle Ticket (will be pulled at the end of the event for your chance to win a Blind Date with a Book)
Spaces are limited- get your tickets here!
4-6 Needles and Nibbles
It’s our monthly fiber-arts meet up! Bring a work in progress and a snack to share. We’ll also have cross stitch bookmark kits available to purchase!