Readers with all kinds of taste found their literary matches this past weekend.

Sunday, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books penned the ending to its annual celebration of books and storytelling at the University of Southern California. With a plethora of authors delivering panel events and signings – along with hundreds of booths ranging from booksellers to nonprofits to giveaways – attendees of all ages and backgrounds found a nook to suit their interests. The second day of the festival, with more breezy weather compared to Saturday’s intense sun, also offered live music performances and food trucks, making for a multifaceted experience, said first-time attendee Naomy Memije.

“This whole idea of staying away from technology and going back into reading a physical book and really staying away from whatever world we’re living in – it’s a great way to escape reality for a little bit,” she said.

As a USC alumnus, Memije said attending the Festival of Books was a nice way to return to the campus after three years. She said she enjoyed the exploration aspect of the festival, as she waited in the line for one of the three LA Public Library booths, which gave away limited-edition library cards and tote bags to celebrate its anniversary.

Memije said she had heard of the Festival of Books in previous years but finally decided to go because of its popularity on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. She added that the easy transportation LA Metro provides to USC was another incentive for attending the event, as the Expo Park/USC station is located across the street from the festival’s entrance on Exposition Boulevard.

On the flip side, two-time attendee Abby Vega, who drove to the event, said the parking situation was inconvenient. On the LA Festival of Books website, only two official lots are available on the USC campus with a $25 parking fee for the otherwise free festival. However, Vega said the atmosphere at the festival was very welcoming, especially for a someone such as herself who enjoys reading romance and fantasy books.

“For everybody to come to one place because they love books – I love seeing everyone’s carts and what they’re buying,” Vega said. “I think it’s just, overall, the vibe.”

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Vega said her main motivation for attending the festival was to see her favorite romance authors, Callie Hart and Lyla Sage, in their respective panel events. Hart, a romance fantasy author whose “Fae & Alchemy” series became a viral sensation on TikTok, was in conversation with entertainment host Maude Garrett in a ticketed event at 10:30 a.m. Sage’s event at 3:30 p.m., also ticketed, dove into the adaptation of the Western romance author’s books into the audiobook format.

Michael Guerrero, also attending the festival for the first time, said he found his own niche as a historical nonfiction aficionado represented in the “Mobsters, Misfits, and Mayhem” panel, which put three authors of World War II books in a conversation with each other. Although the history behind the books in the panel could be considered common knowledge, Guerrero said he was excited to learn about the in-depth details that aren’t so publicly discussed. He added that all the people he encountered at the event were very friendly and commended the festival’s easy-to-navigate layout.

While Guerrero was able to find his favorite book genre represented in the festival’s panels, Memije said she expected more diversity in the booths. A reader of crime fiction, she said many of the booths were catered to fans of romance and fantasy. She added that she was pleasantly surprised by the variety of children’s books promoted at the festival, which was important to her as an elementary school counselor.

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Several booksellers were present at the festival, with a focus on indie LA hotspots such as Skylight Books, Book Soup and The Ripped Bodice. Vega said she was excited to peruse The Ripped Bodice’s booth, as the Culver City-based bookstore curates books, accessories and clothing for fans of romance, such as with their mystery wrapped “blind date with a book.”

Beyond more mainstream novelists, the festival also held panels featuring other writers in fields such as journalism, television and poetry. Vega added that listening to these speakers live can offer a variety of learning opportunities.

“You could hear from their experiences and learn from them – what it takes or what they’ve gone through and what they’ve learned,” Vega said. “Overall, you gain some knowledge.”