WAUSAU – The seventh annual Central Wisconsin Book Festival schedule is set for 2023, and includes more than 20 free events in Wausau, Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids – and online.

Highlights include a virtual event with Angeline Boulley, author of the bestseller “Firekeeper’s Daughter”; a reading and Q&A with J. Ryan Stradal, the acclaimed author of the new novel “Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club”; Wisconsin author and journalist Patty Loew; and Wisconsin novelist Peter Geye.

The festival will also feature a live reading of poems featured in the CWBF Poetry Walk at 10 a.m. Sept. 23 at the Portage County Public Library, 1001 Main St., Stevens Point.

All Central Wisconsin Book Festival events are free to attend. Some events may require registration. For more information, visit www.mcpl.us/cwbf.

Scheduled events

Sept. 1-30

Poetry Walk
Time: Any
Location: Downtown Wausau and Stevens Point
People can visit downtown Wausau and Stevens Point to read a selection of poems during a month-long poetry walk. Poets were tasked with writing a poem in the voice of a favorite literary character. Folks can also pick up a poetry scavenger hunt sheet from Janke Book Store, 505 N. Third St., Wausau, or from the Marathon County Public Library’s Wausau Headquarters, 300 N. First St., Wausau, and be entered in a prize drawing. Free. A live reading featuring some of the poets will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 23 at the Portage County Public Library, 1001 Main. St., Stevens Point. For more info, call 715-261-7235.

Sept. 28

An Evening with Angeline Boulley
Time: 6:30 p.m. CDT

Location: Virtual via Zoom

Boulley is the author of the 2023 CWBF Community Read, “Firekeeper’s Daughter.”

Sept. 29

Wausau

“Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club” with Author J. Ryan Stradal
Time: 7 p.m. CDT
Location: Wausau Elks Lodge, 414 Scott St. #414, Wausau

Attendees are invited to attend an optional fish fry prior to the reading.

Portage County Public Library – Stevens Point

1001 Main St., Stevens Point

Speculative Fiction with Authors Kathy Sherwood and Nikki Kallio
Time: 5:30 p.m. CDT

Sept. 30

Wausau

Adult Fiction with Author Lorna Landvik
Time: 10 a.m. CDT
Location: Marathon County Public Library, 300 N. First St., Wausau

Writing If/Then Stories with Author Aimee Bissonette
Time: 10 a.m. CDT
Location: Marathon County Public Library, 300 N. First St., Wausau

In this children’s program, participants will write their own stories in the If/Then format.

“Small-Town Wisconsin” with Author Mary Bergin
Time: 11:30 a.m. CDT
Location: Marathon County Public Library, 300 N. First St., Wausau

Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets 2024 Calendar Launch
Time: 1 p.m. CDT
Location: Center for the Visual Arts, 427 N. Fourth St., Wausau

Nature Connections for Children: Why It Matters with Author Aimee Bissonette
Time: 1 p.m. CDT
Location: Marathon County Public Library, 300 N. First St., Wausau

“Chinese Prodigal: A Memoir in Eight Arguments” with Author David Shih
Time: 2 p.m. CDT
Location: Marathon County Public Library, 300 N. First St., Wausau

Adult Fiction with Author Victoria Houston
Time: 3:30 p.m. CDT
Location: Marathon County Public Library, 300 N. First St.,Wausau

Poet Laureate Night
Time: 7 p.m. CDT
Location: Whitewater Music Hall, 130 First St., Wausau

Featuring Wisconsin Poet Laureate Nick Gulig, City of Sheboygan Poet Laureate Lisa Vihos, outgoing City of Wausau Poet Laureate Dawn Anderson, and introducing Wausau’s newest Poet Laureate.

Portage County Public Library – Stevens Point

1001 Main St., Stevens Point

“Driftless” Mystery Series with Author Sue Berg
Time: 9 a.m. CDT

Debut Author Spotlight: Larry F. Sommers and Steve Fox
Time: 11 a.m. CDT

“Tailspin” with Author John Armbruster
Time: 1 p.m. CDT

“Wisconsin Waters” with Author Scott Spoolman
Time: 2:30 p.m. CDT

McMillan Memorial Library – Wisconsin Rapids

490 E. Grand Ave., Wisconsin Rapids

Fantasy Author Panel: Sarah Monette, Amy Allworden, Bradley Beaulieu
Time: 1:30 p.m. CDT

Fantasy with Author Bradley Beaulieu
Time: 3 p.m. CDT

“Northern Lakes” Mystery Series with Author Jeff Nania
Time: 6 p.m. CDT

“The Ski Jumpers” with Author Peter Geye
Time: 7 p.m. CDT

Oct. 1

Wausau

“Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin” with Author Kristine Hansen
Time: 12:30 p.m. CDT
Location: Stewart Inn, 521 Grant St., Wausau

Fiction – “A Winter’s Rime” with Author Carol Dunbar
Time: 2:30 p.m. CDT

Location: TBD

Portage County Public Library – Stevens Point

1001 Main St., Stevens Point

“Indian Nations of Wisconsin” with Author Patty Loew
Time: 1 p.m. CDT