By Melissa McGrath, Festival Manager
After two seasons of online programming the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival (EMWF) is back. On Sunday September 11, from noon – 6:00 p.m., Eden Mills will welcome more than 40 Canadian authors to the village to share their books through panel discussions, interviews, readings, and more.
For those who have never attended, the EMWF is an annual literary festival with a loyal following. It showcases the very best of established and emerging Canadian writing in an idyllic outdoor setting on the banks of the Eramosa River. The festival provides stimulating, thought-provoking, and entertaining programming for all ages in a warm and welcoming environment.
Authors attending the 2022 festival include award-winning authors Madhur Anand (Parasitic Oscillations), Cary Fagan (The Animals), Ian Hamilton (The Sultan of Sarawak), Chelene Knight (Junie), Lisa Moore (This is How We Love), Heather O’Neill (When We Lost our Heads), David A. Robertson (The Theory of Crows).
The lineup also includes bestselling authors Kelley Armstrong (A Rip Through Time), Samantha M. Bailey (Watch Out for Her), Jennifer Hillier (Things We Do in the Dark), Robyn Maynard (Rehearsals for Living), Harley Rustad (Lost in the Valley of Death), Shyam Selvadurai (Mansions of the Moon), and Joshua Whitehead (Making Love with the Land).
While the EMWF is a chance to hear from one’s favourite authors, it’s also the ideal place to discover new voices. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from culture writer and radio host Elamin Abdelmahmoud (Son of Elsewhere), award-winning journalist Carley Fortune (Every Summer After), and publishing industry professional Nita Prose (The Maid), all of whom have had their books released to critical acclaim and bestselling status.
The festival is a family-friendly event, with author Hugh Brewster and illustrator Laurie McGaw (Unsinkable Lucille), illustrator Carmen Mok (When I Listen to Silence), authors Danielle Daniel (Forever Birchwood), Cary Fagan (Boney), Deborah Kerbel (Whirl), M.T. Khan (Nira and the Immortal Palace), and David A. Robertson (The Stone Child) presenting their books for children and youth.
Advance tickets to the festival are available at a reduced rate until August 31. Everyone who purchases an advance ticket will be entered in a draw to win books featured at the festival. The earlier you purchase your tickets, the more draws you’ll enter, and the better your chances are to win!
Residents in Guelph are invited to ride the free shuttle buses to Eden Mills that run from both The Sleeman Centre and The University of Guelph. Details can be found here.
In addition to the event in Eden Mills on September 11, the festival will also offer four online writing workshops for aspiring writers led by Farah Heron, Heather Marshall, Marissa Stapley, and Ian Williams.
Visit emwf.ca for a detailed schedule of events, to register for workshops, or to purchase tickets to attend! You can also find a detailed FAQ about the festival on the website.
Stay in the loop by subscribing to the EMWF newsletter, or by following the festival on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
EMWF 2022 Featured Authors:
Elamin Abdelmahmouded
Madhur Anand
Kelley Armstrong
Samantha M. Bailey
Martha Bátiz
Hugh Brewster
Lily Chu
Francine Cunningham
Danielle Daniel
Kit Dobson
Stephen Dorsey
Cary Fagan
Carley Fortune
Laurie D. Graham
Ian Hamilton
Farah Heron
Jennifer Hillier
Deborah Kerbel
M.T. Khan
Chelene Knight
Katherine Lawrence
Jamie Chai Yun Liew
Tanis MacDonald
Robyn Maynard
Laurie McGaw
Robert McGill
Carmen Mok
Lisa Moore
Sheila Murray
C.S. O’Cinneide
Heather O’Neill
Amita Parikh
Tyler Pennock
Dawn Promislow
Nita Prose
David A. Robertson
Harley Rustad
Shyam Selvadurai
Merilyn Simonds
Margaret Sweatman
Gillian Sze
Joshua Whitehead
Julia Zarankin
