Brockville – The very first St. Lawrence Writers’ Festival held last weekend in Brockville was a huge success, with participants and those who took in the festival saying, “It was so well organized.”
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Over 30 writers/authors participated in the festival over the weekend at Arts Hub Brockville in St John’s United Church. Showcasing a plethora of authors and poets ranging from established names to emerging voices, including: Linwood Barclay, Gary Barwin, Don Butler, Rod Carley, Brenda Chapman, John Delacourt, Terry Fallis, Hollay Ghadery, Ali Hassan, Wayne Johnston, Amy Jones, Barbara Radecki, Heidi Reimer, Stuart Ross, Andrew Sullivan, Katie Tallo, Drew Hayden Taylor, Paul Van Dyck, Brent Van Staalduinen, Heidi von Palleske, Anuja Varghese, Emily Weedon, and Maggie Wheeler, as well as local writers Carolyn Bennett, Lois Lorimer, Dennis Stein, Rene Tyo, and Ron Zajac.
After 9 months of planning, the organizing committee should be proud of what they accomplished.
“I had such a great time at the inaugural St. Lawrence Writers’ Festival this past weekend in Brockville, Ontario. It was so well organized, thoughtfully curated, and brilliantly executed, you’d be forgiven for thinking the festival had been running for years,” said author Terry H. Fallis in a post on his Facebook page.
Opening on the Friday night, the festival featured award-winning writer Wayne Johnston in conversation with Rod Carley, followed by Nightmare on the Narrows, a horror boat cruise aboard the General Brock with 1000 Islands and Seaway Cruises, featuring Drew Hayden Taylor, Andrew Sullivan, Rene Tyo and Emily Weedon.
Saturday included a Humour panel, followed by a Poetry panel, best-selling author Linwood Barclay in conversation with best-selling author Terry Fallis, a Contemporary Fiction panel, and a New Play reading with Paul Van Dyck, Pina Pipia and Rod Carley.
The day wrapped up with a performance by Comedian Ali Hassan with his, ‘Does This Taste Bad”
Sunday featured a Young Adult Fiction panel, a Mystery/Thriller panel, and the Queen of Seaway Crime, Maggie Wheeler.
Organizers say they are already planning next year’s St. Lawrence Writers Festival.
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