PAST FESTIVALS
October 2022: Une soirée intime
On October 22, 2022, we celebrated an evening of conversation on creative passion, writing, music, love, life and gastronomy, with award-winning Quebecois authors Kim Thúy and François Dompierre, and host, Julie Huard. Magic was created on stage and we were enchanted. We danced between words and music … a tango, a waltz, a ballet -- and even a surprise vocal improvisation from Carole Aveline. It was a gala full of laughter and reflection, and one to remember.
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2022 Authors & Host: Kim Thúy, François Dompierre, Julie Huard |
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Festival 2021
Writers Fete 2021: The Power to Transform built on the Festival’s reputation for frank talk and high-level dialogue. A springboard for action, authors and artists revealed ways the arts can contribute to wider social and environmental movements critical to our global future through books, music, theatre and conversation. They shared compelling stories of homelessness, gender-based violence, Indigenous rights, Covid loneliness, and climate issues. By highlighting hard truths about vital contemporary issues, they invited us to learn, reflect and reassess our personal worldviews—and to ask ourselves “What can I do?”
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2021 Authors & Hosts: Adrian Harewood, Albert Dumont, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, Fanny Bray Marks, Joel Bernbaum, Julie Huard, Julie Le Gal, Julien Dionne, Kaite Burkholder Harris, Leah Cogan, Lucy van Oldenbarneveld, Lynn Gehl, Lynn Miles, Maria Dunn, Michel Jean, Mishka Lavigne, Rodney Saint-Éloi, Samra Zafar, Seth Klein, Spencer Hanna Haworth |
Festival 2020 - cancelled
Festival 2019
The 2019 Writers Fête was particularly outstanding. Audience vibe and feedback were overwhelming in their generous praise—not hard with the extraordinary writers and singer songwriters we were privileged to welcome. There was something else that shone through with each person on stage throughout the weekend: a genuine desire to share their deepest thoughts, feelings, perspectives, and hard truths. The spaces we create help make these conversations possible, where authors and their works come alive in a very real way--all sprinkled with humour, laughter, tears, delicious food & wine, and fine music.
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2019 Authors & Hosts: Adrian Harewood, Alan Neal, Darrel J. McLeod, David Chariandy, Esi Edugyan, Jay Odjick, Jean Marc Dalpé, Jesse O'Brien, Jim Corcoran, Julie Huard, Linda Spalding, Lucy van Oldenbarneveld, Lynn Miles, Marjolaine Beauchamp, Randy Boyagoda, Sally Armstrong, Tanya Talaga, Tom Howell, Tom Wilson, Waubgeshig Rice |
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Festival 2018
With eight events and 18 authors, 2018 was the festival’s edgiest and most entertaining yet—one that pushed the most boundaries through spoken word, graphic novels, journalism and poetry. Authors debated the #MeToo movement, gave us a glimpse of warlord culture and its impact, poetically examined (in Innu and French) the limits of mankind’s ability to be present, took us behind the hijab, criticized the commoditization of poverty, and celebrated Indigenous youth empowerment. And in local English and French schools students learned about the harmful effects of plastic and their alternatives. What a way to celebrate our 5th anniversary!
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2018 Authors & Hosts: Adrian Harewood, Amal El-Mohtar, Barâa Arar, Blaise Ndala, Brendan McLeod, Carol Off, Chantal Plamondon, Daniel Poliquin, Frances Itani, Gary Barwin, Jay Sinha, Joel Thomas Hynes, Josephine Bacon, Julie Huard, Linden MacIntyre, Mary Walsh, Melanie Scott, Neal Shannacappo, Nikki Mantell, Oliver Walter-Greenhorn, R.J. Harlick, Stu Mills, Terry Mosher (Aislin), Trevor Greenway |
Festival 2017
With our most diverse and provocative festival to date, 48 authors, artists and musicians examined the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, vowed to burn the residential schools, explored transgender politics, debated cultural appropriation, and shared a love story with the power of legend. One offered a poignant Mother's Day greeting from a world no longer remembered. The value of literary translation for broadening our understanding of other cultures was explored. We collectively created an imaginative, artistic narrative based on dance, music and words. Local anglophone, francophone and Indigenous youth connected with artists and elders and created and performed new works of poetry, stories and song.
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2017 Authors & Hosts: Heather O’Neill, Terry Fallis, Adrian Harewood, Annie St. Jean, Bob Webb, Catherine Leroux, Catherine Veilleux, Chris MacLean, Christian Quesnel, Claude Weil, Darrell Comeau, David Sachs, Deborah Thomson, Elkahna Talbi, Gaye Chicoine, Geneviève Duong, Guy Jean, Ian Keteku, Jasmine Aziz, jia qing wilson-yang, Julie Huard, Laurie Gough, Lazer Lederhendler, Louise Poirier, Louise Profeit-Leblanc, Madeleine Stratford, Mary Lou van Schaik, Monia Mazigh, Natasha Kanopé Fontaine, Nathalie Coutou, Nicolas Dickner, Patrick Nicol, Phil Jenkins, R.J. Harlick, Raouf Omar, Seymour Hamilton, Sheena Turcotte, plus 14 local youth writers
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Festival 2016
Local writers kicked off the much-anticipated 2016 bilingual Wakefield Writers Festival La Pêche as their works-in-progress were celebrated in a casual wine & cheese atmosphere. Quirky music, spoken word, poems and memories revved up the energy at the pub scrawl; dramatic stories and a symphonic bande dessinée offered tastes of artistic expression at the scrumptious brunch; imaginations and pens ran wild at the workshops; at the gala reflections of belonging fed appetites for pondering life; dons de la prose, la poésie et la chanson ont été offerts à La Pêche des mots, and a dozen youth writers created a remarkable evening with their stories and poems.
This bilingual "signature" cultural, literary and educational event—managed by an engaged and active volunteer 10-member advisory committee and over 20 skillful volunteers, with continuing support by the Municipality of La Pêche and many other generous government and local sponsors—came of age this year: seven events, seven venues, with growing audiences left wanting more.
This bilingual "signature" cultural, literary and educational event—managed by an engaged and active volunteer 10-member advisory committee and over 20 skillful volunteers, with continuing support by the Municipality of La Pêche and many other generous government and local sponsors—came of age this year: seven events, seven venues, with growing audiences left wanting more.
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2016 Authors & Hosts: Camilla Gibb, Tasneem Jamal, Roch Carrier, Elizabeth Hay, Caroline Pignat, Alan Cumyn, Annie St.-Jean, Christian Quesnel, David Dufour, John Hardie, Josh Dolgin, Julie Huard, Ken Rockburn, Linda Besner, Mélanie Rivet, Michel Côté, Michel Ouellette, Michèle Vinet, Phil Jenkins, plus 12 local youth writers
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Festival 2015
A feast of music and poetry introduced the festival’s second annual edition with the House of Anansi Poetry Bash, a co-launch with the Ottawa International Writers Festival. New this year were La Pêche des mots, an all-francophone round table with five authors, plus writing workshops for youth that culminated in an impressive performance by seven local young authors. The pub scrawl, authors brunch, workshops and gala proved so popular that the organizers recognized they had created valued programming for English and French audiences.
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2015 Authors & Hosts: Charlotte Gray, Sean Michaels, Frances Itani, Georges Lafontaine, Charles de Lint & MaryAnn Harris, Alan Cumyn, A.F. Moritz, Alan Neal, Allegra McKenzie, Annie St-Jean, Barbara Bond, Daniélle Vallee, David O'Meara for Elise Partridge, Éric Charlebois, Janet LeRoy, Karen Solie, Laurie Fyffe, Lise Careau, Madeleine Lefebvre, Oliver Walter-Greenhorn, Phil Jenkins, Ray Verdon, Shane Book, Valerie Perreault, plus seven local youth writers
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Festival 2014
On a beautiful weekend in May 2014, the bilingual Wakefield Writers Festival La Pêche was launched. Fifteen authors—poets, musicians, playwrights, storytellers, and writers of fiction and nonfiction—as well as local youth, shared their creativity, insights and humour in English and French. Sold-out events in six venues testified to the success of the area’s first-ever literary festival, filling a gap in a village already rich in art, music, heritage and community spirit.
The brainchild of members of Friends of the Wakefield Library, the festival’s success was due to a dedicated team of volunteers with organizational-building skills, imagination and positive attitudes.
The brainchild of members of Friends of the Wakefield Library, the festival’s success was due to a dedicated team of volunteers with organizational-building skills, imagination and positive attitudes.
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2014 Authors: Frances Itani, Trevor Ferguson, Tim Wynne-Jones, Alison MacLeod, Brian Doyle, Georges Lafontaine, Janet LeRoy, Jeff Ross, John Hardie, Kimberley Mansfield, Larry McCloskey, Laurie Gough, Nadine Doolittle, Phil Jenkins and Una McDonnell, plus local youth writers |
