SIDNEY LITERARY FESTIVAL
Where: Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave., Sidney
When: Thursday, April 20, through Saturday, April 22
Tickets: eventbrite.ca or Tanner’s Books (250-656-2345)
The Sidney Literary Festival was conceived by organizers in 2013 as an event for both readers and writers, with a focus on local content.
The once-quaint event has grown over the past decade of operation into a three-day affair, now turning a spotlight on guests from both home and abroad. “It has certainly become bigger,” said Janet Daines, president of the Sidney and Peninsula Literary Society, which produces the festival.
Daines said a recent Sidney event that gathered 100 participants from 10 area book clubs, for a participatory gala hosted by CBC Radio’s Shelagh Rogers, is an example of the popularity of the written word around the region. “On the peninsula, there’s a number of writers and plenty of readers.”
The festival, which is housed entirely within the Mary Winspear Centre, opens Thursday with an appearance by Vancouver Island author Bob McDonald, the popular host of CBC’s Quirks and Quarks. That kicks off a busy schedule of eight different events, from panel discussions and workshops to readings. Upwards of 15 authors and other industry professionals are taking part.
“We’ve got authors coming from across Canada,” Daines said. “Francesca Ekwuyasi is coming in from Halifax, and Joan Thomas from Winnipeg.”
Other guests include Times Colonist columnist Jack Knox, CBC Radio host Gregor Craigie, Bruce Kirkby, Caroline Adderson, Danny Ramadan and Yvonne Blomer, the former poet laureate of the City of Victoria, among others.
Some of the workshops are proving popular and are close to capacity. Daines suggested those keen to learn first-hand from the assembled professionals act quickly, before certain events sell out.
“A lot of people are interested in those [workshops],” she said. “But at this point, there are tickets remaining.”
