Santa Monica, California is usually a hotbed of book activity during the YallWest Festival. It features a beautiful backdrop and beautiful authors sharing their beautiful books, but this year needs to be different. Thus, they’ve re-branded for their sixth year: YallStayHome. What does that mean? All of the content they were building toward will now be yours… virtually.

On Saturday, April 25th and Sunday, April 26th, they will be putting on virtual panels, smackdowns, and keynotes that you can individually register for based on your interests and author obsessions. Likewise, as noted in the graphic, they will provide giveaways, special events, and share live content via Instagram so it is best to follow them on their social media platforms in addition to checking their website. They can be found on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram.

I have to admit that I’ve always loved the videos and photos that come out of an event that’s across the country that I’d probably never attend in person, so to be a part of it is a boon. Though I’ll also admit that I won’t be plugged in for the two-day event because I’ve already committed to the Dewey 24-hour readathon which I take very seriously.

Whether you’re going all in or just picking a few sessions, consider also sharing with the teens you serve (as I already have) the three contests that teens aged 13-19 can enter until April 19th. There’s one for fan art and two for writing.

When so many activities are at your fingertips while everyone is staying at home, choose this one because the content is rich and deep while bringing a much needed dose of happiness.