New York Times-bestselling author Kwame Alexander will headline Merriweather District’s ninth annual Books in Bloom festival on May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Books in Bloom, a free outdoor festival since 2017, gives attendees the chance to meet some of their favorite authors, discover new books and participate in activities like book swaps, making flower bouquets, specialty drinks and a pop-up book store. The event will be held at Color Burst Park in Columbia.Alexander recently received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Poetry. The author has written more than 40 books within poetry, memoir and young adult fiction, including the award-winning novel — now a Disney+ series — “The Crossover.” Books in Bloom will feature a variety of other authors, such as Eric Puncher, author of “Dream State” and “Model Home,” and New York Times-bestselling author and Columbia native Laurie Frankel, author of “Family Family.” Books in Bloom will also highlight other storytellers including Andy Shallal, founder of Busboys and Poets, and children’s book authors Sue Fleiss and Ann Marie Stephens, local writers of “Spilled Milk: A Storytelling Event About Motherhood.” There will also be a “Poetry+” session with Alexander, Lady Brion, Truth Thomas and Ethelbert Miller. For more information about scheduling and events, visit https://merriweatherdistrict.com. ...read more read less