Janice Bannister doesn’t want people to hear the name “LitFest New West” and assume that the festival is for someone else. Someone, well, literary.
She’s hoping that some new events and new locations will help to encourage all sorts of folks to turn out for this year’s festival, which runs from March 31 to April 2.
“Our theme is reader, writer and community,” said Bannister, who’s chairing this year’s events. “It’s not just for writers.”
The seventh annual festival has evolved from being basically a book fair to being an all-encompassing event featuring workshops, readings, discussions and – new this year – kids’ programming.
Rather than having the events centre in one location, which in the past has been Douglas College, the festival is branching out to a variety of different locations around town. Bannister said the change stemmed from feedback from past years’ attendees, who suggested they’d like to see smaller, more intimate settings for the festival’s various events.
The festival kicks off with an opening event on Friday, March 31 at New Westminster Public Library, a live podcast taping for Pop This!, a pop culture podcast by Lisa Christiansen and Andrea Warner. They’ll be in conversation with acclaimed New West author JJ Lee.
On Saturday, April 1, the festival moves out to River Market, where two kids’ workshops are being held – one at 11 a.m. with children’s author Grayson Smith, and one at 1 p.m. with kids’ author-illustrator Lee Edward Födi.
Bannister notes the festival has added the kids’ programming to acknowledge the fact that the makeup of New West is changing.
“We’ve got a lot of young moms in New West, a lot of young families,” she pointed out.
Saturday will also see adult workshops at Anvil Centre and the festival’s marquee event, Read Aloud: An Evening of Stories, at the Anvil Centre Theatre. The winners of the LitFest New West short story contest will read at the event, and four authors – Aislinn Hunter, Catherine Owen, Carleigh Baker and Nasreen Pejvack – will read from their work and hold a discussion.
Other events will also take place at community-based locations – a Meet & Eat event at Heritage Grill to launch the New West Writers’ new anthology, a lit café with author David E. Burnell at Waffle House, and A World of Stories discussion at Judge Begbie’s Tavern.
The World of Stories event features people from seven different countries – including Bannister herself – who will all share stories about their lives and the circumstances that brought them to Canada.
“Some will be quite fun and funny; some will bring tears to your eyes,” Bannister said.
Sunday programming will include a writers’ critiquing workshop at the Gallery at Queen’s Park, a Wordplay workshop in the Buy-Low Foods community space at Westminster Centre, and an edition of the In Their Words reading series – in which local writers share work from some of their favourite authors – at the library.
Bannister is hoping that holding events in a new locations – especially favourite food and beverage spots – will encourage more people to turn out and check out the festival.
“You create new audiences because people are like, ‘Hey, that’s just down the street from me,’” she pointed out.
Since most of the venues also allow people to just sit and mingle over food and beverages as they listen or take part, she’s also hoping that the events allow people to meet neighbours and make new connections in the city.
“If anything, community meets community,” she said. “That’s one of the things about having it in new locations.”
Everything is free, except for the ticketed Pop This! podcast taping, which costs $10. Some events require advance registration, so check the website or LitFest brochure for details.
For all the LitFest New West details, see www.litfestnewwest.com.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS
Here are a few highlights of the LitFest New West programming
HEADLINE EVENTS:
LitFest New West opening – a live podcast taping for Pop This!, Friday, March 31, 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the New Westminster Public Library, featuring author JJ Lee
Read Aloud: An Evening of Stories – Saturday, April 1, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Anvil Centre Theatre, featuring the winners of the LitFest short story competition, plus four acclaimed authors in conversation
KIDS’ STUFF:
Seeing with New Eyes: Engaging the Imagination to See Beyond Appearances - Saturday, April 1, 11 a.m. at River Market, with children’s author Grayson Smith, for ages five to eight.
Enchanted Eggs: Using the Five Senses to Hatch Your Very Own Curious Creature – Saturday, April 1, 1 p.m. at River Market, with author-illustrator Lee Edward Födi, for ages seven and up.
WORKSHOPS:
New City Archive: Reinventing Community Through Alternative Poetics – Saturday, April 1, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Anvil Centre, Media Room 417, with poet Geoff Nilson
Our Chaotic World and Writers’ Responsibilities – Saturday, April 1, 1 to 3 p.m. at Anvil Centre, Media Room 417, with author Nasreen Pejvack
How Do Writers Improve Their Work? A New West Writers critiquing workshop – Sunday, April 2, noon to 3 p.m. at the Gallery at Queen’s Park.
WordPlay: A Sense of Place – Sunday, April 2, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Buy-Low Foods community space. Alan Girling hosts an idea-generating writing prompt group, with Janet Kvammen providing photo prompts of New Westminster to spark participants’ imaginations.
LIT CAFÉS:
Facing Danger – Saturday, April 1, 2 to 4 p.m. at the Waffle House. Local author David E. Burnell reads from his novels, A Nightingale Sang and In Moonlight’s Shadow.
Meet & Eat: a Literary Feast – Saturday, April 1, 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Heritage Grill. The New West Writers Group launches its latest publication, Collage.
A World of Stories – Saturday, April 1, 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Judge Begbie’s Tavern, featuring seven storytellers from around the globe.
MORE THAN WORDS:
Community – art exhibition opening: Saturday, April 1, 3 to 5 p.m. at Anvil Centre, featuring literary and visual artists in partnership
New West Craft – Literary Marketplace: Saturday, April 1, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Arts Council of New Westminster’s regular artisan market includes handmade goods for book lovers and writers, and local publishers will also participate.
