Register by April 5 for April 12 Edible Book Festival

Judge a book by its cover and its culinary creativity during WSU Libraries’ fourth annual Edible Book Festival on Friday, April 12, part of WSU Mom’s Weekend activities.

Registration is now open, and entries will be accepted through April 5; to register and for more information, visit the library guide website. Participants can register individually or as a group. Entry rules are simple: Submissions must be made from edible materials and somehow relate to a book.

Edible book festivals take place around the country and world to celebrate books, art, food and culture. They got their start with the first International Edible Book Festival on April 1, 2000. Since then, organizations and universities have served up their own versions of the popular event.

WSU’s festival begins with public viewing and judging at 2:30 p.m. in the Terrell Library atrium, with winners announced at 3:30 p.m. Awards will be given for People’s Choice, Best Visual Presentation and Punniest. Light refreshments will also be available.

“Celebrity judges” for the event will be Jamie Callison, executive chef and catering manager with the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management; Mary Jo Gonzales, WSU vice president of student affairs; Squeak Meisel, chair and associate professor of the Department of Fine Arts; and Joanna Bailey, library director of Neill Public Library.

New to the festival this year will be participation for People’s Choice Award by students of WSU’s Global Campus. Their entries will be judged before the Pullman event by the Global Campus community, and the winner’s submission will be on display April 12 in the Terrell Library atrium.

“We really hope that people will take inspiration from a favorite book or author and run with it,” said Erica England, organizer and first‑year experience librarian. “Every previous festival has drawn more than 100 people who voted for their favorite entry, including many WSU moms with their students. We’d like to see this become a popular Cougar tradition as well as a celebration of literature.”

“I like seeing everybody’s creativity in relation to books and food,” said Chelsea Leachman, science and instruction librarian at Owen Science and Engineering Library.

Leachman, a two‑time winner at previous Edible Book Festivals, drew her creative inspiration from children’s books for her entries.

“I always do children’s books because their whimsy lends itself to baking,” she said.

—Story by Nella Letizia