Image from Beventi
Hello fellow readers! I have a special treat today. This past weekend (November 20-21) I went to a brand new book festival in Santa Clara, California. I live about 1 hour 45 minutes in the Central Valley, so having a book event this close was exciting. I have not been to a lot of these types of events, my last one being Y’all Fest in Charleston, South Carolina. Last year I was selected to be an influencer for the festival, and I was excited! And now the event has finally come and gone, so here is everything that happened at Love and Tech.
Event Information
The event took place at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara. There were 53 authors (see lineup here) and around 150 people. The hotel group rate was $189/night + taxes. Parking at the hotel was: Free for 1-2 hours, $20 for 2-10 hours, or $40 All Day. There were no in and out privileges. I am assuming this was if you were not staying at the hotel, but I don’t know for sure. There were two ticket options:
GENERAL TECHIE
$150 + Platform Fees
Includes:
Brunch
Four hour signing session access
Evening Event & Snacks
Swag Bag
VERY IMPORTANT TECHIE
$200 + Platform Fees
Includes:
Friday Reception Event
Brunch
Four hour signing session access
Evening Event & Snacks
Swag Bag + Premium Goodies
What it meant to be an influencer?
I was surprised when I was chosen to be an influencer, but excited. This was my first time doing something like this, and I couldn’t wait. The perk for this was that I received a free Very Important Techie ticket. In return, I was asked to post about it. I didn’t stay at the hotel because I had a family friend who lived nearby. I can’t say anything about the rooms themselves, but the hotel was very nice and clean in the spaces I was in. Check out my Instagram for more photos from the event and to see what books I got!
Day 1
The first day was lowkey and easy. Registration started at noon. You received a badge, bag, notebook, stickers, and a nail file donated by an author. Between registration and the evening event, I took the family friend I was staying with out to lunch as a thank you. We went to Holder’s Mission City Grill. I had a crispy chicken sandwich which was delicious. I rested for a bit, and then it was time for the evening event!
That evening was the three hour VIP Reception that was Wicked themed. This was for anyone with a VIT ticket and the authors. There were some finger foods and a cash bar. There were two specialty cocktails. One was a match type drink for Elphaba and the other was a Raspberry Citron Press Cocktail for Glinda. This drink had vodka, lemon, raspberry, and club soda. It was by far my favorite drink I have had. The space had tables with different kinds of crafts including: coloring, bedazzling, card games, and more. It was a great way to meet other attendees and meet some of the authors. Everyone seemed to have a great time. I met some nice authors and other attendees. I even twined on accident with an author (Megan Bowen)! This event was a great way to start the event. It was lowkey and simple, but still fun.
Day 2
The second day was the big day with a lot happening. The day started with a brunch for everyone. The food included: oatmeal, potatoes, egg bites, pastries, fruit, and coffee and juice. The food was good and it was a nice easy start to the morning. You could also socialize and have a nice start to the day.
Signings started at Noon for VIT’s and ADA and lasted for half an hour when it opened up for everyone else. There were 53 authors (see lineup here), and they fit perfectly into the space. They were able to make the aisles wide enough that you didn’t feel cramped if others were standing talking to an author or walking around. The event felt small and intimate. I didn’t feel rushed and that I could have a real conversation with the authors. There were water stations throughout the signing, which was great iykyk. The signing was until 5pm. I left at 4pm as I was hungry, a bit tired, and my bag was full and knew if I stayed I would spend more money than I already had.
After a little break, at 6pm, there was a holiday party. There were more finger foods and a cash bar. The holiday drink was a Red Holiday Sangria which had pinot noir, orange juice, cranberry juice, triple sec, seeped with cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. This drink was good, but not as good as the Glinda drink the night before. There were crafts again at every table including: coloring, bookmark making, and holiday card writing. It was a relaxed event where authors and attendees can interact in another low key environment. I talked with authors, made new friends, and had a fun time trying to airdrop photos to some people. The event ended at 9pm, and it was lovely. It was a great way to end the day.
Authors I Met
Overall Thoughts
This was a great first event. It was lowkey, had great authors, and has room to grow. I met authors I had not heard of before and found some new books I am excited to read. I made new bookish friends and am happy to start growing those friendships. The swag bags were good, though I might have missed any VIP swag, not sure. Overall, this was done so well by Brittany Arreguin and I think she created a great event for readers in the Bay Area and nearby. I hope this happens again and I get to go.
Brittany if you read this thank you for an amazing time and event!
Happy Reading,
🩷 Jacquelyn