The 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (LATFOB), held on April 26–27 at the University of Southern California (USC), was a significant cultural event that brought together a diverse array of participants and marked its 30th anniversary with a vibrant celebration of literature, culture, and community. The festival is known for attracting a large crowd each year. For instance, the 2024 festival drew over 150,000 attendees, and the 2025 event featured more than 550 writers, experts, and storytellers, along with hundreds of exhibitors.
The festival featured over 100 ticketed author events, children’s storytelling sessions, poetry readings, book signings, and more than 400 exhibitor booths. Notable participants in the 2025 festival included authors such as Stacey Abrams, Jon M. Chu, Amanda Gorman, Chelsea Handler, Ibram X. Kendi, and Rebecca Yarros, among many others. The festival’s success was also attributed to the generous involvement of volunteers who assisted with various aspects of the event, including welcoming attendees, staffing author events, and supervising book signings.
LATFOB 2025 emphasized accessibility and community involvement. General admission was free, with select programming requiring tickets. The festival’s partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs ensured that a wide range of activities were available to attendees of all ages and backgrounds, fostering a welcoming environment for literary enthusiasts and families alike.
As LATFOB celebrates three decades of literary celebration, the 2025 festival underscores the importance of storytelling in shaping culture and community. With its diverse programming and commitment to accessibility, the festival continues to be a premier event for book lovers and cultural aficionados. The success of this year’s event sets a promising precedent for future festivals, ensuring that the tradition of literary celebration will continue to thrive in Los Angeles.
LATFOB 2025 provides a unique opportunity to explore new voices, groundbreaking ideas, and thought-provoking works of art. This year, one of the most anticipated entries is “A Travel Bug with Itchy Feet: A Retired Woman Lives Her Dream to Travel the World.” by Wilda Milliron Worth, which is being showcased in the Book Gallery. It is an inspiring account of a retired woman who embraces her lifelong dream of traveling. After retiring, she overcame societal expectations and financial constraints to pursue a life of adventure, exploring new cultures, meeting diverse people, and immersing herself in the wonders of the world.
Born in Pennsylvania during the Great Depression, Wilda was the first member of her Pennsylvania Dutch family to enter college–East Texas State Teachers College (now Texas A&M University, Commerce)–and receive a bachelor’s and a master’s Degree. She taught in elementary schools in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
After two divorces and a suicide, she made a career change into the private industry so she could support her home and raise four children as a single parent. Her hobbies include reading historical novels, memoirs, autobiographies, and self-help books, designing and quilting hand-made quilts, and traveling internationally and domestically. She is now retired and lives in Colorado Springs.
The story underscores the importance of pursuing your passions, stepping out of your comfort zone, and cherishing new experiences. It encourages readers to overcome fears and societal expectations, showing that courage and determination can lead to a fulfilling and meaningful life, regardless of age or circumstance.
Recently, “A Travel Bug with Itchy Feet: A Retired Woman Lives Her Dream to Travel the World” by Wilda Milliron Worth was displayed at the London Book Fair (LBF) at Olympia London from March 11-13, 2025
The London Book Fair (LBF) serves as a premier gathering for the global publishing community, providing a platform for individuals to forge connections, gain valuable insights, and shape the future of creative content. This event brings together a diverse spectrum of professionals, including publishers, dealmakers, copyright specialists, commissioners, and global licensors, all representing the broad scope of the publishing industry.
Wilda Milliron Worth was also interviewed by Benjie Cole of CBS Radio. In her interview with Benji Cole, Wilda Milliron Worth discussed her book, “A Travel Bug with Itchy Feet: A Retired Woman Lives Her Dream to Travel the World.” She shared her experiences of embracing travel after retirement, overcoming challenges, and the personal growth that resulted from her adventures. The conversation highlighted the transformative power of pursuing one’s passions later in life and served as an inspiration for others to follow their dreams, regardless of age.
Click here to listen to the full interview:
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