Who: The Poetry Foundation
What: Fifth Annual Printers Ball
Where: Ludington Building, 1104 South Wabash Avenue
When: Friday, July 31, 5:00-11:00pm – free!

This year’s lineup for Printers Ball – the Poetry Foundation’s annual celebration of print, featuring hoijllions of magazines, books, and broadsides; all available free of charge – is kind of pornographically awesome.

We keep reading updates at Chicago Poetry Calendar, the Ball’s official blog, and humming that “Candy Man” song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – live readings. Rad poster by Dan MacAdam.  A library hosted by the Alternative Press Center and the Chicago Underground Library. One-stop subscription kiosk. Busy Beaver ButtonOmatic. Papermaking and bookbinding and silkscreening demonstrations. featherproof minibooks. “Hidden treasures” and swanky beer (not at once in one glass, we’re hoping). Music from DJ Carrie Weston and Baby Alright. Plus, OMG you guys, Ratso from Chic-A-Go-Go is coming!

The spectacle throws down at the Center for Book and Paper Arts at Columbia College Chicago, and includes over 1,500 people; 200+ local, national, international literary publications and organizations; and two floors of magic. Full schedule here – we’re especially stoked for Opium Magazine’s Literary Death Match and the bilingual readings hosted by the Guild Complex and Palabra Pura.

Come stalk your literary crushes off the interweb; come applaud your hardworking insomniac literary friends; come gawk at all that’s literary and glorious in Chicago; and go buy a subscription to something you love. Oh, and come thank the Poetry Foundation for continuing to celebrate ink on paper. That’s kind of a big deal, these days. Thanks, Poetry Foundation.