A Literary Celebration Writ Large

Even in this bookish town, the ninth annual Bethesda Literary Festival, which begins today, offers enough variety in its packed weekend of 20 free events to make it worthwhile to venture beyond your local Barnes & Noble.

What to see:

· Tomorrow at 11 a.m., catch best-selling novelist Alice Hoffman (famed for her Oprah's Book Club pick, "Here on Earth") talking about her new book, "The Third Angel," which is set in London and follows three perfectly intelligent women, some of whom make very bad choices in love (one falls for her sister's fiance). Hyatt Regency Bethesda, 1 Bethesda Metro Center.

· There are plenty of journalists on the schedule, including Helen Thomas, the inveterate White House reporter, who has been known to express her displeasure at totally uninformative news conferences by announcing, "You're stonewalling." She will talk about her book "Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public." 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda.

· Sugar-holics can hear Food Network star Warren Brown, who has elevated the birthday cake to elaborate, peanut-butter-spiked buttercream, hazelnut meringue affairs with his mini-chain of bakeries called CakeLove, discuss his cookbook of the same name, in which he shares secrets for baking cakes from scratch. Free. Tomorrow at 7 p.m. Heineman Myers Contemporary Art, 4728 Hampden Lane, Bethesda.

And other events:

Tonight, catch the Poetry Slam at the Washington School of Photography. For ages 18 and older only. 8 p.m. 4850 Rugby Ave. Or at 8:30, catch poets including E. Ethelbert Miller reading at the Writer's Center, 4508 Walsh St.

And tomorrow, see "Sidesplitting Standup!," hosted by comic Matt Kazam. Free. Ages 21 and older. The Barking Dog, 4723 Elm St.

The Literary Festival is held at venues across Bethesda through Sunday. For information, call 301-215-6660 or for a full schedule and map, visit http://www.bethesda.org/specialevents/litfest/litfest.htm.