Whanganui Literary Festival promises exciting, diverse line-up of writers

Whanganui Literary Festival Trust members Helen Frances and Airini Beautrais are preparing for an action-packed programme this year. Photo / Lewis Gardner

The line-up for this year's Whanganui Literary Festival has been revealed.

The Whanganui Literary Festival 2019 will be held from September 25 to October 6 and will feature Ockham New Zealand Book Award 2019 non-fiction winner Joanne Drayton and Dame Fiona Kidman, this year's winner of the Ockham fiction prize.

Crime writer Paul Cleave, playwright Albert Belz, and chef and cookbook author Amber Rose are also on the programme.

They will be joined by kea conservationist Corey Mosen, accompanied by his dog Ajax, columnist Leah McFall, sportswriter Ron Palenski and novelist, essayist, and short story writer Tina Makereti.

The trust- made up of dedicated volunteers and supported by funding from Creative New Zealand and Whanganui District Council - has built a festival which has a growing fan base within and beyond Whanganui.

"I believe we are the only New Zealand literary festival that is run entirely by volunteers," trust member Helen Frances said.

Whanganui Literary Festival Trust chairperson Mary-Ann Ewing said it was a "unique boutique" festival to be proud of.

"It is an exciting 10 days of celebration for readers, writers and people of all ages who love the world of books," she said.

"It is now an established part of Whanganui's literary culture and I am confident that our programme this year offers something for everyone to enjoy."

The 10-day festival that precedes the keynote weekend event includes book launch presentations by visiting authors in partnership with the Sarjeant Gallery and Space Studio & Gallery and other events where the public can mix and mingle with the authors.

During the festival, Wanganui Repertory Theatre will stage The Dignity of Risk, a play by Joan Rosier-Jones, patron of the Whanganui Literary Festival.

There will be singer-songwriting performances, a literature quiz evening and literary walk, a lively panel discussion about a controversial topic, a bookchat morning tea and children's events - something to appeal to every literary taste and age group.

• Tickets for the keynote, weekend event, October 4-6, are available from the Royal Wanganui Opera House.