Here’s What’s Happening At The National Steinbeck Center

SALINAS, CA – Through his writing, Steinbeck was able to capture the beauty and cultural richness of the Salinas Valley and Monterey Peninsula for the entire world to enjoy, a vibrant paradise that still shines even during these unprecedented times. Being true to the National Steinbeck Center’s mission of honoring Steinbeck’s legacy and the land he loved, this year the Steinbeck Festival, taking place August 1st and 2nd will be a special celebration to bring the community together and showcase all that makes us unique by highlighting our area’s businesses and cultural organizations. “Steinbeck Country United” will be a two day virtual and interactive worldwide festival, taking place on August 1st and 2nd,  in which vendors, exhibitors, and artists will be able to share with a global audience their products and services through an online marketplace. It will also include live cultural and literary panels, as well as exclusive recorded ones, plus vibrant musical performances and fun cocktail hours.

To make this festival an unforgettable experience for all involved, the National Steinbeck Center has partnered with one of the top virtual event organizers in the world. Due to the current situation, there have been many events that have had to be converted to an online format at the last minute, but what makes the “Steinbeck Country United” festival unique is that since its initial conception it has incorporated the advantages of a virtual environment, which will take it to an entirely new level. Our dynamic festival platform will come to life as our participating vendors and exhibitors will be able to have live conversations online with the public to showcase their products and services, and they will also be able to conduct sales on the spot by having links to their websites. With the anticipation of the continuing strict mobility guidelines and limited access to public places, particularly restaurants and retail stores, the “Steinbeck Country United” virtual festival comes at the ideal time to create a much-needed bridge between a global audience and the businesses, non-profits, and cultural organizations that make the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley the land of bounty and beauty.

For more information, please email: events@steinbeck.org

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In addition to “Steinbeck Country United” the following events, activities and resources are available now at The National Steinbeck Center.

• FREE virtual museum tour
• FREE interactive educational resources
• Virtual memberships
• Shop the Online store
• “Steinbeck Expedition Virtual Summer Camps 2020” in which campers from ages 5 to 17 will be inspired by the life and works of John Steinbeck while exploring the creative worlds of literature, arts, and sciences through these innovative camps.

Visit Steinbeck.org for more details.

About the National Steinbeck Center: The National Steinbeck Center is a museum and 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in Salinas, CA that honors Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. The National Steinbeck Center houses a variety of artifacts, first edition Steinbeck books, newspapers, and interviews pertaining to John Steinbeck in its archives. In addition, the National Steinbeck Center holds a variety of educational and public programs throughout the year, which aim to expand the public’s knowledge about John Steinbeck and the themes he explored in his books.