Have an ample helping from a local literary feast from Sept. 15 to 18.
This hamlet is full of whimsy with its rivers, bridges and stone houses.
With 300 residents, villagers are most famous for two projects: Eden Mills Going Carbon Neutral and the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival.
The festival attracts book lovers of all ages, as well as those who enjoy a relaxing weekend away.
Each September for 22 years, Eden Mills has hosted a literary feast of Canadian authors.
Head to Eden Mills Festival Sept. 18 for an afternoon of readings from noon to 6pm.
Relax by the Eramosa River in a resident’s back garden and listen to favourite authors read from their work.
Events include
– A public lecture by Shelagh D. Grant, winner of the 2011 Lionel Gelber prize and the 2011 Canadian Authors Association Lela Common award for Canadian History, Sept. 15, 7:30pm in the University of Guelph Science Atrium.
Grant is the author of Polar Imperative: A History of Arctic Sovereignty in North America.
After touching on highlights from her award-winning book, she will discuss sovereignty and climate change and why they are “two sides of one coin.”
In Eden Mills Sept. 16 at 7:30pm there is jazz by The Mike Malone Quartet.
It is an evening of words and music in memory of Dave McMurdo, an accomplished jazz musician, composer and performer.
Rounding out the evening will be extreme literary performances by Terry Fallis, author of two satirical novels about Canadian politics, writer Erika Ritter, and inventive spoken-word artist, Matthew Dryden.
Sunday from noon until 6pm is the big day of readings in Eden Mills as 41 Canadian authors of poetry, fiction and non-fiction for adults, young adults and children will read from their latest releases.
Readings take place every 20 minutes, from four gardens and meadows, behind the homes of Eden Mills residents.
Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and lounge by the river while listening, or stroll down Publishers’ Way to purchase books, and meet with authors after their readings for book signings.
The festival also hosts the official Canadian launch of Johanna Skibsrud’s new collection of stories: This Will Be Difficult To Explain and Other Stories, published by Hamish Hamilton.
Other highlights include:
– singer, composer, performer and author Sylvia Tyson reading from her first novel, Joyner’s Dream, and singing from the music she wrote to accompany the book;
– Allan Casey, winner of the Governor General’s award (non-fiction prize) for Lakeland;
– Dionne Brand, 2011 Griffin poetry prize winner for Ossuaries;
– Alison Pick, author of Far to Go, long-listed for the Man Booker prize;
– Claire Tacon, winner of the 2010-11 Metcalf-Rooke award for her debut novel In the Field;
– John Vaillant, author of The Tiger, winner of B.C. National award for Canadian non- fiction and the CBC Book Club award for Best Book Overall in 2011.
Food vendors from the local area will set up at the festival, and a large water tank is available for a free water bottle fill up. Bottled water is not for sale.
Bring cash. Food and book vendors do not take credit cards and there are no ATMs in Eden Mills.
For further details and ticket information visit www.edenmillswritersfestival.ca.
