St Albans Writers’ Festival

St Albans Writers’ Festival, held on the weekend of 16th to 18th September, is now in its second year of showcasing writers, books and writing of all styles, genres and forms. Based in the small and picturesque village of St Albans, just a two hour drive from Sydney, the festival was born when residents belonging to three different bookclubs in the village decided to organise a book day. This Book Feast at which Kate Grenville spoke was a great success and two years later in 2015, the first full Festival took place.

For the 2016 festival, the focus remains on bringing Australian writers and writing to this tiny village, for residents and visitors to enjoy an intimate weekend of words. The landscape of the Hawkesbury with its diverse population of farmers, artists, writers, tree-changers and weekenders provides a unique and stimulating setting to meet writers, discuss their books and debate ideas.

“You will bump into authors wandering around the precinct, having a drink at the pub and sitting around the fire. You can also chat with them during informal round table ‘Meet the Author’ sessions over a coffee or something stronger,” says Festival Artistic Director Catherine du Peloux Menagé

Speakers at this year’s festival include Richard Glover, Jane Caro, Meg Keneally, Fiona Wright, Stan Grant, Candice Fox, Judy Nunn, Kate Forsyth, Nick Earls and Karly Lane.