Rural and regional writers’ festival programs announced

Several rural and regional writers’ festivals have announced details about their upcoming events.

Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival

The Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival, presented by Varuna, the National Writers’ House, will be held this weekend, 20–22 October. The program includes in-conversation events with Shankari Chandran, Charlotte Wood, Lee Kofman and Kris Kneen, while Yuwaalaraay author Nardi Simpson will present the Mick Dark Talk for the Future, an annual keynote address on the environment.

Other events include David Marr discussing his latest book, Killing for Country (Black Inc.), Holly Ringland on her nonfiction work The House That Joy Built (Fourth Estate), Canadian scientist David Suzuki discussing his life’s work with Ashley Hay via Zoom, and a QueerStories event featuring guests Robert Dessaix, Madison Godfrey, Melanie Saward, Ellen van Neerven and Nevo Zisin, hosted by Maeve Marsden. ABC Radio’s Richard Glover will also broadcast the Thank God It’s Friday session from the festival, followed by an interview with authors Lee Kofman, Michael Robotham and Sarah Holland-Batt.

The program also includes the Writers in the Sky event, with three sessions allowing attendees to ride above the Blue Mountains on the Scenic World cableway while listening to an event performance. Children also have the opportunity to listen to a story-time reading while riding on a Katoomba-Leura RFS fire truck.

The full program is available on the website.

Queenscliffe Literary Festival

Queenscliffe Literary Festival (QLF) has appointed a new program director and moved its program—held in the Borough of Queenscliffe, Victoria—from May to October for 2024.

The QLF committee has appointed radio producer and presenter Elizabeth McCarthy as the program director of the festival. McCarthy hosts in-conversation literary events for The Wheeler Centre and Melbourne Writers Festival, has worked as judge for the Stella Prize and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, and is a regular book reviewer on radio.

McCarthy, who worked as facilitator for last year’s QLF program, said: ‘With 2024 being QLF’s 10th anniversary, I’ll be creating festival events that commemorate this wonderful milestone, and also exploring new ways that storytelling and writing can be experienced and celebrated.’

On shifting next year’s festival to 18–27 October, the festival committee said: ‘This decision has been made in light of multiple books and arts festivals taking place back-to-back during the first half of next year.’

QLF has planned ‘summer sweetener’ pop-up events by authors Clementine Ford and Jo Barrett in January. More information can be found on the website.

Manly Writers’ Festival

The Manly Writers’ Festival has been announced for March 2024. Under the theme of ‘Connecting through Storytelling’, the festival aims to bring together readers, writers, and thinkers for discussion on big and small issues.

Thomas Keneally and Nick McKenzie are among the authors, journalists and writers who will speak on issues including trust, kindness, grief, crime, history, politics, and sport. Children’s and schools’ programs will feature readings, workshops and panels.

The festival’s founder Bonita Mersiades said the event aims to celebrate Manly’s cultural side. ‘Manly is a destination point in Sydney that is best known for the beach and the ferry, but there is an active cultural component here with many high-profile and hidden gem authors and writers,’ said Mersiades. ‘We especially want to give writers who are not-so-well known an opportunity to talk about their work, as well as discuss big and small issues of interest to the community.’

All profits from the sale of tickets to the Manly Writers’ Festival will be shared between the First Nations-led Literacy for Life Foundation and the Northern Beaches Community Cancer Charity.

The full program, including venues, will be published in early 2024. See the website for more details.

Category: Local news