Mark Pierce, author of “When the Stars Came Out: Stories of the Mississippi River Festival,” will be the presenter for the April Madison County Historical Society’s Speaker Series on Sunday, April 16 at 2.p.m.

The event will be held at the Main Street Community Center at 1003 N. Main Street in Edwardsville. Pierce has been a journalist and corporate communications leader in the St. Louis area for more than 30 years. A graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, his love of music and connections with many who played pivotal roles in the Mississippi River Festival (MRF) story served as inspiration for his book which was written with former festival director Lyle Ward, and Jack Twesten. The book became an outlet for the artists who played, the fans who cheered, and the workers behind the scenes to tell their stories.

Pierce will be sharing stories he collected when researching the book and will have the new book available for sale after the presentation.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional event information call 618-656-1294.