Gawler Festival of Words

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Fri 29 Jul 2016 - Sun 31 Jul 2016

Following the success of last years' event, the second annual will be held 29th to 31st July 2016.



The weekend offers a range of activities which will appeal to all who love words, including workshops for writers and poets, book launches, a train ride to Adelaide, a yarning circle, an open mike event, podcasts, short films and of course lots of eating, drinking and socialising.

Friday – Words and Images

The festival will begin on the Friday evening with a Podcast Launch featuring Gawler identities. This will be followed by the launch of an Anthology "Winged Pods" which features works from local writers and has been published to raise funds for the victims of last year's Pinery bushfires. The evening will conclude with the screening of short films made by local young people.
Saturday – Words and Work

Saturday begins with the official opening at 11.30 am and this is followed by a workshop with presenter, Kirsty Brooks. After a break for lunch, participants can choose between two workshops, one with Connie Berg and the other Nan Berrett. Later in the afternoon a Publishers' Forum will take place with representatives from Ginninderra Press, Wakefield Press and Sunshine Press. The day will finish with another book launch.



Sunday – Words on Wheels and Words Aloud

Sunday morning offers a choice of two activities – Poetry In Motion or The Yarning Circle.

Poetry In Motion (a very popular event at last years' festival) offers an opportunity to read and write verse whilst on a train ride from Gawler to Adelaide and return. Before the train journey begins participants will be given time to look through the Gawler Community Gallery which is housed in part of the historic Gawler Railway Station.

The Yarning Circle (also very popular last year) offers words aloud in the ages old tradition of yarning and will be hosted by Scott Rathman in the Alchemy Cafe.

Lunch will precede an afternoon of more words out loud at the Gawler Poets In The Pub, an open mike event which will include readings from the Anthology, Winged Pods.



The Workshop Presenters

Kirsty Brooks is the director of Driftwood Manuscripts and is currently writing a novel for young adults. She has a journalism degree and an Advanced Diploma of Professional Writing, and was awarded the Barbara Hanrahan Fellowship. She is the author of a number of books, including The Vodka Dialogue, The Happiness Punch, The Millionaire Float, The Lady Splash, Hitching, Mad Love, Lady Luck and Tales from the Byways and Superhighways.

Nan Berrett is an award winning former rural journalist who now runs her own media and marketing consultancy. She is a blogger, editor, experienced public speaker and a workshop and meeting facilitator. Nan is the co-founder and director of the Clare Readers' and Writers' Festival. She has contributed poetry and prose to various anthologies and is the author of several novellas. When she can find the time she works on her fiction novel.

Connie Berg is a writer, an editor and a manuscript assessor. She is a co-founder and the Festival Organiser of the Langhorne Creek Writers' Festival. Connie's radio segment, 'Today's Writing Tip' has aired on PBA FM's Words Out Loud programme since 2014.

The Publishers

Ginninderra Press
Stephen Matthews is the owner of the award-winning, independent publisher, Ginninderra Press which he started in Canberra in 1996 and relocated to Port Adelaide in 2008. In 1997 Stephen won a Canberra Critics Circle Award for his 'tireless contribution to the writing community' and in 2003 he received a Centenary Medal for his 'contribution to the writing community and ongoing support for local authors'.

Wakefield Press
Michael Bolton is the publisher and managing director at Wakefield Press, an independent book publishing company based in Adelaide. Michael has worked at Wakefield Press for nearly 30 years, helping to build it from tiny beginnings to a vigorous, national publishing house. Wakefield Press publishes about 40 new titles each year across a range of genres. Michael works in all aspects of the business, from editing to marketing.

The Yarning Circle

Scott Rathman is a South Australian artist whose Aboriginal past is represented in his work. He was born in 1974 and sent his formative years in the Riverland area. He also spent time in Port August before settling in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Scott works full time in an educational setting, bringing Aboriginal art and culture to students and the public through workshops and other opportunities.

Scott's family are descendants of the Central Australian Aranda people. His rich artwork design is intended as a tribute to his grandmother who was taken from her people as a child and her memories are recorded in his unique, contemporary works which represent the past through creative design and expression.



The venues for these event are all situated in Gawler and include The Prince Albert Hotel on Murray Street, The Poetic Justice Cafe on Walker Place, The Alchemy Cafe on Adelaide road and the Gawler Railway Station on Twenty Third Street.

The weekend offers a packed program for all devotees of the written word, but pre-booking for the events you are interested in attending is essential. Bookings can be made online via the webpage .

For further information please visit the Festival of Words web site or their Facebook page .

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!date 29/07/2016 -- 31/07/2016
%wnadelaide