Sunday Kicks Off The Miami Book Fair International

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — It's that time of the year again where book-lovers of all ages gather at the Miami Book Fair International to enjoy their authors, music, food and events - all while browsing for books.

The fair kicked off on Sunday and continues throughout the last day of the street fair which is on November 18. Thousands of people are expected to attend the fair which takes place in downtown Miami area at the Miami Dade College.

Each year the fair features a country. This year, readers can discover Paraguay and celebrate the country's culture and unique contribution to the arts through music and dance, literature and a delicious variety of cultural components.

A Guide To The 2012 Miami Book Fair International

Brightly colored tents decorate the streets where more than 250 publishers and booksellers have an endless variety of books for sale. The fair opened with a presentation by Tom Wolfe, the author of "Back to Blood" which is set in Miami. Cuban-American fashion designer Isabel Toledo is also scheduled to discuss her memoir Sunday night.

The fair is not all about books.  Attendees will be able to appreciate other events such as the Twilight Tasting and Art at The Fair which features samples from Miami's restaurants and art exhibits.

This year's Children's Alley will include activities such as arts and crafts, story telling and reading's by children book authors, where their imaginations will burn brightly. There will even be a comic and graphic novel feature just for kids and teens.

The fair will also hold its Festival of Authors where writers from around the world come out and participate. Notable writers this year include National Book Awards finalists Junot Diaz and Robert Caro, The New Yorker's Adam Gopnik, the "Goosebumps" series author R. L. Stine, social critic Camille Paglia and Anne Lamott.