By Eden Mills Writers’ Festival staff
The Eden Mills Writers’ Festival has long been a beloved showcase for CanLit legends and rising literary stars. Under the helm of new Artistic Director Nicola Dufficy, the 2019 festival presents a sensational lineup of programming for readers and writers of all ages from September 6-8, 2019. Thought-provoking, eclectic and entertaining, the EMWF offers something for everyone.
Audience members enjoying Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, 2018. Photo credit Dan Harasymcuk
Mark your calendars for a weekend of fresh air, as familiar favourites and bold new voices make their way to our little corner of the world. Whether you are an avid book reader or are hoping to spark a new interest in reading, the EMWF is a fantastic opportunity to support Canadian writers and to explore the worlds they’ve created.
Festival Sunday, the main event, will welcome more than 50 writers to the village of Eden Mills on Sunday September 8. Our stellar lineup includes award-winning authors Emma Donoghue, Terry Fallis, Lynn Coady Linden MacIntyre, and Catherine Porter. For the first time, the EMWF will present graphic novelists as part of Festival Sunday, including Renee Nault, whose stunning graphic novel adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale brings the story to vivid life. Memoirs featured at the festival by Samra Zafar, Jesse Thistle and Kristen Worley tell incredible stories of strength and resilience. Festival Sunday is family-friendly; presenters for children and young adults include Tanaz Bhathena , Marie-Louise Gay, Kevin Sylvester and award-winning author of Scarborough Catherine Hernandez.
On Friday September 6, the EMWF brings together two best-selling Canadian authors for the opening night of the festival. Marina Endicott and Guy Gavriel Kay will appear on stage together for the first time, to discuss their craft and the role of the past in their respective novels. Opening the evening will be Garry Thomas Morse, reading from his most recent collection of poetry, accompanied by Juno-award-winning cellist, Matt Brubeck.
New this year is an expanded offering of workshops for aspiring writers, to be held on Saturday September 7. Cecil Foster, acclaimed author of They Call Me George, leads a workshop on finding self-confidence as a writer. Alix Ohlin, Chair of the Creative Writing Program at UBC, leads “Time Travel for Everyone”, an investigation of time within stories. Anakana Schofield, the inventive author of Bina, invites writers to participate in a workshop entitled “Expand Your Universe”. And celebrated children’s author Marie-Louise Gay, of the Stella and Sam series, will lead two workshops, the first for teachers and librarians, exploring how to encourage children to write their own stories, and the second aimed at aspiring children’s book authors.
For more details, click on the links below:
