2016 Steinbeck Festival: “From Salinas to Sea of Cortez: Steinbeck on Land and Sea” The 35th annual Steinbeck Festival takes place May 6 – 8, 2016 at the National Steinbeck Center. Salinas, CA, March 05, 2016 - The 35th annual Steinbeck Festival takes place May 6 – 8, 2016 at the
National Steinbeck Center. The theme is "From Salinas to Sea of Cortez: Steinbeck on Land and Sea," honoring the 75th anniversary of Sea of Cortez, published in 1941. This year’s festival features 30 minute “Jon” talks followed by panel discussions. On Saturday, the Festival features the first annual Steinbeck Home/Beer Fest from 12-5, sponsored by the Steinbeck Rotary. Beer tasting dinner at the Steinbeck House Friday night is a Rotary fundraiser-Saturday night a NSC fundraiser, 5:30-8 both nights! This is a triple play for Steinbeck in Salinas. PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE (schedule subject to change) Friday, May 6: Steinbeck on Land “Salinas had a destiny beyond other towns. The rich black land was one thing, but the high gray fog and coolish to cold weather which gave it a lousy climate created the greatest lettuce in the world, several crops a year and at a time when no other lettuce in the United States matured. The town named itself The Salad Bowl of the World…” JS 8:30-9:30: Early risers historic walking tour, East of Eden on Main Street. 9:00: Susan Shillinglaw, “Steinbeck and the Land: Ecological Reflections,” Director of the NSC and Professor at San Jose State University. 9:30: William Souder, "Why Steinbeck, Why Now? A Biographer New on the Scene Explains his Thinking," William Souder discusses his new Steinbeck biography, to be published by Norton in 2019. 10:15-11:00: Breakout session: Susan Shillinglaw and William Souder on Steinbeck 11:15: Film: Greg Zeigler, “Steinbeck Country,” California leg of Travels with Charley. 11:45-12:45: Historic walking tour, East of Eden on Main Street 11:45-1:15: Taco lunch at NSC patio (included in 3-day Festival pass) 1:00: FILM: Eric Palmer “Japanese Flower Growers,” He will be joined by Ann Jordan. Eric Palmer is a local filmmaker and Anna Jordan teaches Japanese langauge classes at Los Gatos High School. This presentation is organized by the Salinas Valley JACL. 1:45: Jean Vengua: “Filipino Newspapers and the Juan Steinbeck Poetry Society.” Dr. Vengua is co-chair of the Asian Cultural Experience in Salinas. 2:15-3:00: Panel discussion on Asian communities in Salinas: Eric Palmer, Anna Jordan, and Jean Vengua 3:00: Sergio Chavez, “The Occupational Careers of Ex-Braceros in the Tijuana-San Diego Borderlands,” Sergio Chavez is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at Rice University and author of Border Lives, Oxford UP (2016).