Hi Readers
Today I am sharing with you something I am feeling excited about and will be my first time attending. When you get to the end, let me know if you have been, I would love to hear about why you love this festival too.
If there is something I have learnt since living here is that Melbourne do festivals well, and the Williamstown literary festival is known to be one of the best. During the weekend of the 16 & 17 June, the Willy Lit Fest (as it is affectionately called) will be celebrating its 15th year, exploring the theme “From Little Things…”
The main reason why I am looking forward to attending this festival, is that it brings people together from across Australia who have a love for the creative arts, to celebrate books, writing, reading, poetry, illustrations and all of their creators. What more could a library Geek ask for in one weekend,? I can think of nothing else other than perhaps getting lost in a good book.
You don’t need to be as nerdy as I to attend, this event is for all creative and literary types and with a lineup of local and interstate writers and performers, you will be immersed into the creativity, adventure and whimsy that Williamstown has to offer. 2018 is showcasing the talents of many Australians who started in a place we all do, with the small things and then they give themselves into their work so that we – their readers, can be taken on a journey through words and pictures.
The lineup this year includes the very popular (among children and adults) Andy Griffith, the talented Sofie Laguna, my dear friend Demet Divaroren who will be talking to Enza Gandolfo, and the Alice-Miranda creator Jacqueline Harvey. While this is just a glimpse of the many contributors, there is something for everyone. I am mostly interested in children’s authors and illustrators, however the festival will also include the discussion of the craft of writing, writers of adult fiction and crime, Non Fiction writers sharing insight, and funny people – yep comedian’s write too.
One thing about the Willy Lit Fest that many will appreciate is that children are encouraged to go along, it’s not just about the grownups. Children are wonderfully creative beings and I am all for them to be encouraged to express their imagination through the written word and art. With Andy Griffith, a few author signings, and Kamishibai stories for children, the invitation is there for our youngest bibliophiles to immerse themselves into the literary culture.
What I am looking forward to most of all is learning from all the people that have come before me, those that have known rejection, others that have many best sellers, people who write from real life experiences, and most of all those that explore the imaginative world for precious young minds to get lost in.
Want to know more? Head over to Williamstown Literary Festival website and their Facebook page and you will find everything you need.
I hope to see some of you there, if you want to say hi I will be the one looking way too excited about being there.
Allison
Little Big Reads 