VICTORIA FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS
Where: Langham Court Theatre and W̱MÍYEŦEN Nature Sanctuary (formerly Mary Lake)
When: Oct. 16-20
Tickets: Eventbrite.ca (some events are free)
The Victoria Festival of Authors unofficially got underway Sept. 21-22 with a two-day launch event featuring workshops and readings with a quartet of celebrated regional writers.
The festival expands its footprint in an official capacity today, with everything from panel discussions to virtual webinars and forest walks among the 14 events being offered during the coming days.
The five-day festival remains a hybrid event, having first explored the in-person/online set-up in 2021. The idea has been so well received, festival producer Laura Trunkey decided to keep the format, with in-person events at Langham Court Theatre and W̱MÍYEŦEN Nature Sanctuary adjoined with livestream programming.
“The plan to was only do it during COVID [in 2021], but so many took advantage of the livestream options we have kept it ever since,” she said.
Events at the festival are offered on a sliding-scale basis, with free tickets available for all indoor and virtual events through Sunday. Attendees are encouraged to choose a price that reflects their financial capacity, Trunkey said. Money isn’t the driving force behind the event; more important to its success is showcasing the authors involved to a wide audience of booklovers.
The majority of events will be held at Langham Court Theatre, where many of the participating authors take advantage of the lobby lounge, Trunkey said. “It gives authors a chance to have conversations with audience members afterwards, while they are signing their books.”
Curators and moderators such as Nadya Comeau, Monique Gray Smith, and Sara Cassidy will lead seminars and discussions with a range of authors, including Leslie Gentile, Carleigh Baker, Maleea Acker, and City of Victoria Butler Book Prize winner Pauline Holdstock among dozens of others.
Several up-and-coming writers are also participating. “It’s really great to be able to celebrate new voices,” Trunkey said.
Two outdoor events held Sunday at W̱MÍYEŦEN Nature Sanctuary give guests the opportunity to learn about poetry and writing while immersed in nature — an aspect Trunkey assumes in unique to the Victoria Festival of Authors. “It’s nice to have a conversation about the environmental and climate issues when you’re actually outside, rather than in a theatre.”
The outdoor events are offered rain or shine, Trunkey added with a laugh. “We’ve definitely had rain on some occasions. Last year, one of the poets had his poems laminated just in case.”
