It’s been nine years since we first had the idea of having a literary festival on Galiano Island for those who wanted to escape the throes of Olympic Fever in Vancouver, and what wonderful years they’ve been.
This year we are delighted to welcome back many authors who have been with us in years past including George Bowering, Charlie Demers, Theresa Kishkan, Tim Taylor and Audrey Thomas to name a few.We are also delighted to welcome many rising stars in the B.C. writing community including David Chariandy, Gurjinder Basran, Michael Harris, Ashley Little, and Leesa Dean, and to welcome many well established Canadian writers including Wayne Johnston, Michael Redhill, Kyo Maclear, and Jennifer Robson.
Starting out with a panel on humour with Linda Cullen, Mary Walsh, George Bowering and Charlie Demers, the weekend offers you an array of writers covering a wide variety of genres from the poetry of Bowering, Stanley, Paré, MacIsaac, Roberts, and Donawa to the mysteries of Gray, Wild and Whishaw.
Nonfiction writers are also present, including Crocker, Harris and Scholtens, and of course, a wide variety of fiction writers will enchant us with their work. And you’ll be in the audience of a live podcast of Well Reds when Charlie Demers chats with Sam Wiebe!
As you enter the Galiano Inn one of the first things you’ll notice is the Festival Bookstore. This is your first stop to pick up your tickets, festival brochures and so on, as well as the place to stop by for more information about the festival and the Island. The store also sells the books by our festival authors, giving you the chance to start reading that new author you just discovered or one of your old favourites right away. And you can get them autographed into the bargain!
Just up the steps you can enjoy a glass of wine at the lovely Atrevida Bar while you chat with fellow booklovers. We are pleased to add the open atmospheric soundscapes from the Catona, Butterfield and Gaucher trio to enhance your evening at the Welcome Reception.
Galiano Island Books just next door to the Inn will be open throughout the weekend as well, giving you lots of time to browse our great selection. Two doors up from the bookstore you can savour a cappuccino or latté at Sturdies Bay Bakery & Café. Around the corner and a few steps down Sturdies Bay Road you’ll find Babes in the Woods for great pizza or wraps as well as many other shops, eateries, and galleries. Enjoy your LitFest weekend!
Lee and Jim – and the staff at Galiano Island Books