A CELEBRATION OF WORDS TO FIRE THE SPIRIT!
In just two week’s time, the village of Victoria By the Sea is to be host to Prince Edward Island’s first ever literary festival on the South Shore!
It will be a summer celebration of poetry and storytelling, featuring all three of Prince Edward Island’s poet laureates: David Helwig, Hugh MacDonald, and John Smith. They will be joined by David Hickey, Brent MacLaine, and authors ‘from away’, Carolyn Smart and Sheree Fitch.
The literary festival was hatched in much the same way the as the village’s “Great Big Tree” challenge. Wine was involved! And so, last winter a small group of bibliophilic Victorians got together over a few bottles of the aforementioned vino, and decided to launch a literary festival. Writers were soon invited and without exception they entered the spirit of the venture. Sponsors stepped forward, and now here we are on our way to launching the first annual Victoria Literary Festival on the weekend of July 16th-18th.
It all gets underway on Friday, July 16th at 6:30 pm with a meet and greet reception at Island Chocolates, followed by dinner at the Victoria Village Inn Restaurant.
July 17th, at 11 am we present Soliloquia at the Lighthouse and at 12pm Blissful River Readings where Festival poets and others will entertain. Bring a picnic and snippets of your favourite poetry or literature to the beach behind the lighthouse, and share lunch with the Festival poets.
At 2 pm, Sheree Fitch and friends will meet in the courtyard of the Studio Gallery for “Sleeping Dragons All Around” This is a story book picnic for children and their accompanying adults. Bring your pet dragons and lunch! Complimentary lemonade and sweets will be provided.
At 4:15 pm enjoy literary mayhem in the form of poetry and performance at The Victoria Playhouse.
6:15 pm will find all of us at an Edwardian garden party at Coach House Antiques. Champagne and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.
On Sunday July 18th, we’re holding a book binding workshop and have spaces for 10 participants for a nominal fee of $12 to cover materials.
And finally at 4:15 pm we present “Whiskey and Welsh Cakes: A celebration of Dylan Thomas” in the Kit Marlowe Book Shop garden.
For tickets and more information please check out our website at www.victorialiteraryfestsival.com, or call Coach House Antiques (902 658 2243) or Kit Marlowe & Co. Book Shop (902 658 2363).
The Writing Pool 