Media Release: Raglan Readers and Writers Festival, 4 July 2015
Word Café Raglan is set to brighten the end of winter for Raglan residents and visitors, with a stellar line-up of New Zealand writers, illustrators, photographers and other book-related people.
To be held at the Raglan Town Hall from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 August 2015, the festival aims to celebrate and foster local talent, alongside bringing top authors and illustrators from further afield into the town.
AT THE RAGLAN TOWN HALL. $90 for all sessions. Details on http://www.wordcaferaglan.co.nz/
Friday 14 August at the Raglan Town Hall
7pm-7.15pm. Opening ceremony and karakia. Free entry.
7.15pm-8pm. Here, Turi + Kōkā: 3 Māori Fullas Serving Up Some Hot Words on a Cold August Night. With André Ngāpō, Antonio Te Maioha and Kani Te Manukura. Free entry. Mulled wine available for sale.
Saturday 15 August at the Raglan Town Hall
9am: Hall open for registration.
9.30am-10.30am. Chasing Heliose: Mandy Hager.
10.30am-11am: Coffee-break.
11am-11.55am. Inspired by Nature: Trevor Penfold.
12noon-1pm: Lunch
1pm-1.45pm. The Bassett Road Machine Gun Murders: Scott Bainbridge.
1.45pm-3.15pm. Illustration Panel: Paul Martin, Kat Merewether & Deborah Hinde.
3.15pm-3.45pm: Tea break.
3.45pm-4.30pm. Writing for Children – A Writer’s Life: Dawn McMillan.
4.30pm. Book Launch: The Bold Ship Phenomenal by Raglan children’s author Sarah Johnson. Free wine!
5.15pm-6.15pm. Keynote Speaker: James George.
7pm onwards. Spoken Word Open Mike Night. Free event.
Sunday 16 August at the Raglan Town Hall
9.30am-10.15am. Forget Singing for your Supper – Write for your Holiday: Latesha Randall.
10.15am-10.45am: Coffee-break.
10.45-11.15am. Writing Competition Awards.
11am-12.30pm. Self-Publishing vs. Publishing Panel: Pisey Leng, Kat Merewether, Julie Thomas and Beatnik Publishing
Festival organiser Emma Brooks says, “This will be the second time we’ve run Word Café Raglan, after the first festival in 2013, which was a sell-out success. The festival is a celebration of all things bookish, and we’ve put together a broad programme of events that should appeal to all types of book lovers – from fiction, young adult and children’s writing, to true crime, nature photography, and travel writing.”
Highlights of the festival will include recipient of the 2014 Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship and current University of Waikato writer in residence Mandy Hager; true crime writer and well-known TV presenter Scott Bainbridge; popular children’s author Dawn McMillan; and editor of Arrival travel magazine Latesha Randall.
Saturday night’s keynote speaker is James George, who as well as being an award-winning author and creative writing teacher, is the current chairperson of the writers committee of Toi Māori Aotearoa – Māori Arts New Zealand.
This year’s festival has a strong focus on visual storytelling: book illustrators Kat Merewether and Deborah Hinde and graphic novelist Paul Martin will be hosting an illustration panel, while Raglan wildlife photographer Trevor Penfold will be talking about his life behind the lens.
Other Raglan locals to feature include Pisey Leng, whose recently released book, The Wisdom Seeker, tells of her harrowing escape as a child from Cambodia, and how she has used these and subsequent experiences as a refugee to transform her life; and award-winning children’s author Sarah Johnson who will be launching her latest book, The Bold Ship Phenomenal, ahead of nationwide release.
A literary pub quiz on the Friday night, open mike night on the Saturday, and children’s storytelling session at Raglan Library on the Sunday, are all free events for the whole community to enjoy. There’s also a writing competition, with festival-goers encouraged to get inspired and pen their entries over the weekend.
Despite the more ambitious programme, ticket prices for Word Café Raglan 2015 have stayed essentially the same as the previous festival, thanks to the support of Creative Communities and Waikato District Council.
Brooks says, “We want the festival to be accessible to as many people as possible. The more people who can come along and be inspired, the better.”
The full programme for Word Café Raglan 2015 and tickets sales are available on the festival’s website: www.wordcaferaglan.co.nz.