Rural and regional writers’ festival programs announced

Several rural and regional writers’ festivals have revealed the programs for their upcoming events.

Sorrento Writers Festival will run from 27–30 April on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. More than 140 writers, academics, journalists, publishers, thinkers and creators will appear in over 90 events in Sorrento and Portsea. Authors such as Jane Godwin, Sofie Laguna, Andrew McDonald, Amelia Mellor, and Sally Rippin will appear in the children’s program. Events include the inaugural Barry Jones Oration; Tom Keneally in conversation with Jason Steger; Marcia Langton, Thomas Mayo and Kerry O’Brien talking about the Voice to Parliament Referendum; and Melbourne’s deputy lord mayor Nicholas Reece discussing with journalists Chip Le Grand and Cameron Stewart how the city and community have changed since 2020. Festival director and former bookseller Corrie Perkin said: ‘Our ambitions are vast, and our goals focused: we want our annual four-day gathering to be a beacon for year-round Mornington Peninsula literary activities. We want to bring writers and readers together.’ Of the festival’s mission, Perkins added: ‘Sorrento has no library and so we plan to establish one. Also, many children on the Mornington Peninsula struggle with reading and learning. We want to work with local organisations to provide funds and help improve literacy among our children.’ See the full program here.

In NSW, the South Coast Writers Festival will be held from 18–20 August at the town hall in Wollongong. This year’s festival program has expanded its offering of author talks and readings, panels, workshops, film, and poetry events. The program includes panels curated by local genre experts; journalist Caroline Baum leading a session on biography; author Hayley Scrivenor running a session on writing craft; author Helena Fox’s YA writers’ session; a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) writers’ panel curated by Zohra Ali; and a First Nations writers panel run by Gamilaroi poet Judi Morrison. The festival launch will be held on 30 June at the Music Lounge in Wollongong Town Hall. Learn more about the festival on the website.

Also in NSW, the Words on the Waves Writers Festival is running the Ripples kids and schools program from 1–2 June on the Central Coast. The theme for both primary and secondary is ‘When Fish Fly: The Power of Possibility,’ which was chosen to illustrate how wonder and curiosity is always present, even in our ever-changing world. The festival brings authors and illustrators to participating primary schools in two locations, Ourimbah and Umina Beach. On 1 June, Ripples will offer three author talks and two writing and poetry workshops for secondary students, building on the success of a 2022 pilot conversation event with Favel Parrett, author of HSC text Past the Shallows (Hachette). On 2 June, the program will offer six author talks and six writing and illustrating workshops for primary school students. Guests include authors Craig Silvey and Zana Fraillon, Bundjalung artist and illustrator Charmaine Ledden-Lewis, and Byron Bay slam poet Samantha Turnbull. Ripples schools program coordinator Fiona Lloyd said: ‘By offering a primary school program in both the north and south end of the Central Coast, we hope to provide access for more students to benefit from this exciting and important opportunity.’ Visit the website for more information.

Category: Local news