About

 I’m a writer from Lewiston, NY, and I run a small, non-profit publishing company alongside a free community library out of rented office space at my former elementary school, Stella Niagara Education Park. 

The Better Off Read Summer Book Festival is an annual literary festival held in Lewiston with the mission to encourage reading, promote writing, and celebrate storytelling. The festival features thousands of books available for purchase at discounted prices; vendor booths by local merchants, restaurants, artists, and authors; kid-friendly activities such as storytelling, face-painting, and balloon animals; a high-profile celebrity-sponsored basket raffle; and much more.  This festival serves as my way of thanking the local community for donating books to my library throughout the year.  However, it’s also just my all-out and sincere attempt at trying to show people that reading, writing, and storytelling genuinely can be so much cooler and more fun than they ever possibly imagined 

The first Better Off Read Summer Book Festival took place at Stella Niagara on July 9th, 2022. The event was sponsored by over two dozen local small businesses such as Favorite’s Pizza, The Brickyard, and Orange Cat Coffee Co., as well as larger local companies and organizations such as the Buffalo Bisons, the Buffalo Bandits, and Wegmans. The event was a massive success and allowed for the festival to return again the following year.

The 2nd Annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival was once again held at Stella Niagara on July 15th, 2023. The sophomore year for the event doubled the number of local vendors present and incorporated a number of new attractions for attendees to enjoy.

The 3rd Annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival will take place on Saturday, August 31st at Artpark State Park in Lewiston, NY. This year’s event will take advantage of the new venue and expand to include more books, vendors, and attractions than ever before. Additionally, for the third year in a row, the festival will proudly present a special basket raffle with gifts donated by some of the world’s best storytellers. This year’s star-studded list of celebrity donors includes: Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Silverman, Stephen Colbert, Neil Gaiman, Colleen Hoover, David Byrne, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Blink 182, songwriting icon Bob Dylan, filmmaking legend George Lucas, superstar Billie Eilish, and more!