Fancy a writers’ festival with a bit of rustic charm and some good old-fashioned country hospitality? This March, head to the historic Avon Valley town of York in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt for a unique event: a weekend featuring some of WA’s finest authors and poets in conversation with each other, unmediated and unplugged! That’s right: no facilitators. We’re selling day passes only, at a bargain price of $40 per day, all-inclusive (excluding the Murder Mystery Dinner on Saturday night).
MCs are Jon Doust (Saturday) and Will Yeoman (Sunday). Sessions run for 45mins, with a 15-break between sessions (longer for lunch). Sessions are at the outdoor Speakeasy venue, back of Gallery 152, Avon Tce. Sunday kids’ stories and activities are free (you don’t need a day pass), but you still need to register. These sessions are in the CWA Rooms, 154 Avon Tce. Botanicalia cafe is open 7am-3pm daily; other food and drink options nearby. Our bookseller is Barclay Books, 151 Avon Tce.
Saturday 18 March
- 9:30 Marion Kickett & Tracey Kickett (My Country My Life My Words book launch)
- 10:30 Ros Thomas & Sasha Wasley
- 11:30 Joshua Kemp & Susan Midalia
- 12:30 Andrew Sutherland & Patrick Marlborough
- 2:00 Tracy Ryan & John Kinsella
- 3:00 Karina McRoberts & Helen Hagemann
- 4:00 Glen Phillips & Will Yeoman (includes Seed Songs performance & book launch)
- 5:00 Wheatbelt Writers Short Story Awards
- 7:00-9:00 Murder Mystery Dinner (Town Hall)
Sunday 19 March
- 9:30 David Whish-Wilson & Sharron Booth
- 10:30 Maria Papas & Brooke Dunnell
- 11:30 Will Yeoman & Ian Hooper: Publishing Avenues
- 12:30 Josephine Taylor & Holden Sheppard
- 2:00 Jon Doust & Portland Jones
- 3:00 Michael Levitt & Brett Adams
- 4:00 Stephen Scourfield & Will Yeoman (includes spoken word & guitar performance)
- 10:30 & 1:30 Dianne Wolfer (Free kids’ sessions)
- 11:30 & 2:30 Katie Stewart (Free kids’ sessions)
Murder They Wrote: A 1930s Whodunnit dinner at Settlers House
The ultimate murder mystery and three-course dinner event presented by Cluedunnit in the West Australian Wheatbelt town of York’s historic Settlers Tavern! Come dressed in your best 1930s evening attire! Can you guess whodunnit before it’s too late? $120 ticket price includes one glass of champagne on arrival (further drinks may be purchased at the bar), three-course meal and show.
Tickets and more information: visit www.yorkfestival.com.au
For interviews or more information, contact York Writers Festival Artistic Director Will Yeoman: will@yorkfestival.com.au
York Writers Festival acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which The York Festival takes place, the Barladong Noongar people. We honour and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.
