EDEN MILLS – Canadian authors and readers of all ages will reunite for the 36th annual Eden Mills Writers’ Festival (EMWF) on Sept. 8 in the riverside village of Eden Mills.
The outdoor event is a favourite for book-lovers, officials say, and will feature 45 Canadian authors who will share their recently released books through panel discussions, interviews and readings.
The lineup includes best-selling authors Cherie Dimaline (Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix), Hannah Mary McKinnon (Only One Survives), Heather O’Neill (The Capital of Dreams), Danny Ramadan (Crooked Teeth), Robert J. Sawyer (The Downloaded), Tanya Talaga (The Knowing), Drew Hayden Taylor (Cold), and Zoe Whittall (Wild Failure and No Credit River).
Also presenting at the festival are award-winning authors Premee Mohamed (We Speak Through the Mountain) and Shani Mootoo (Oh Witness Dey!), celebrated botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger (Our Green Heart: The Soul and Science of Forests), and former CBC journalist Carol Off (At a Loss for Words: Conversation in the Age of Rage).
“The EMWF is a wonderful opportunity for readers to connect with their favourite Canadian authors in a magical outdoor setting, and to discover diverse new voices,” officials state.
Event attendees in the pre-Confederation village of Eden Mills will have the chance to hear from writers including Vincent Anioke (Perfect Little Angels), Faith Arkorful (The Seventh Town of Ghosts), Cheryl Isaacs (The Unfinished), Deepa Rajagopalan (Peacocks of Instagram), Leanne Toshiko Simpson (Never Been Better), Anna Julia Stainsby (The Afterpains), Natalie Sue (I Hope This Finds You Well).
“We are delighted to offer everyone who loves books a fantastic 2024 program to enjoy in our beautiful riverside village,” states EMFW chair Theresa Ebden.
“Thanks to our sponsors and supporters, the festival team has organized a great day with something for everyone, featuring some of the most exciting Canadian books hitting the shelves this year – so please join us on Sept. 8 to discover your new favourite author!”
The EMWF’s family programming includes poetry from Nicholas Ruddock, a graphic novel from Anna Humphrey, enchanting and entertaining picture books from SJ Okemow, Sahar Golshan, and Derek Mascarenhas, a novel for young readers by Danny Ramadan, and scary stories from Jeff Szpirglas.
“These sessions will involve interactive readings, fun activities, and engaging discussions with the authors, making it a fun-filled event for readers of all ages,” officials state.
EMWF’s Emerge! session is an opportunity for emerging writers to share their work at the festival, including the winners of Read at the Fringe 2024, who are invited to read their winning entries, and some of the bright new writers in the University of Guelph’s Creative Writing MFA Program.
The EMWF is grateful for the support of its funders and sponsors, including Angel Gabriel Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Department of Canadian Heritage, Waterloo Region Community Foundation – The Musagetes Fund, Ontario Arts Council, The Government of Ontario, Ontario Trillium Foundation, City of Guelph, and the County of Wellington.
Advance tickets to the festival are on sale now and available at a reduced rate until Aug. 31.
Admission is free for children and offered at a discount for students with ID.
Tickets and details are available at emwf.ca.
