The Mudgee Readers’ Festival is bringing a brilliant bunch of authors to Mudgee for a fun and social weekend of food, wine, books and conversation.
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The 2017 program features a range of fun events, including a Story Club session on the Friday evening, with local performers sharing their funny and heartfelt stories. The festival will run from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 August, and will include talks on small town intrigue, family dramas, contemporary art and historical mysteries.
‘Family Matters’ will bring together novelists Michael Sala, Melanie Joosten and Sarah Schmidt to discuss families of varying functionality – from the estranged to murderous – in their books.
Internationally bestselling author Michael Robotham will host a crime trivia event at Roth’s Wine Bar and – with the help of crime writers Jock Serong, Holly Throsby and Sarah Schmidt – will announce the Ned Kelly Awards shortlist.
A panel of art experts will feature Mudgee artist Sam Paine, art critic and Brett Whiteley biographer Ashleigh Wilson, Hill End artists Kim Deacon and Lino Alvarez, and journalist and Chinese art specialist Madeleine O’Dea for a robust discussion of creative expression and cultural resistance.
The festival will build on the success of last year’s art and poetry events with a Saturday night Poetry Salon at The Cellar by Gilbert and an art exhibition – Art Now with Text Classics – featuring the work of local artists interpreting scenes from classic Australian novels.
Luke Carman will host the ever-popular RANT, allowing several festival authors to voice their grievances over a hearty winter meal at the Mudgee Brewing Company.
Free events at the festival will include the MRF Book Club, inviting locals to read books from festival authors ahead of time and have a cosy chat with them about their work, and bibliotherapy sessions where readers can get advice on their literary choices from expert reader Jenn Martin.
A Sunday Story-time session for kids will feature musician and author Holly Throsby and local performer Sam Paine with the Cudgegong Youth Theatre. For young adult readers, Sarah Ayoub will host a teen book swap, sharing books and their thoughts on reading. Ayoub will also launch the first ever Mudgee Zine-Makers publication, celebrating the work of some talented young creatives.
MRF General Manager Portia Lindsay says people should be sure to register online for the free events, to avoid missing out, but that tickets will be available in the library from 9am Saturday 12 August for any events that haven’t already booked out.
‘The Mudgee Readers’ Festival team are really excited to once again have books take over the town’ Ms Lindsay said. ‘We’ve had a lot of generous community support, which makes for a truly vibrant Mudgee event… so we can’t wait to welcome these brilliant authors to town!’
The festival will once again be in the heart of town, and the venues hosting events include Eltons Eating + Drinking, WarBehr Design, Mudgee Brewing Co, Roth’s Wine Bar, the Town Hall Theatre, and Mudgee Library. As always, the festival will conclude with the Long Lazy Lunch, which combines delicious food and wine at Blue Wren Winery with a conversation between ABC Western Plains’ Nick Lowther and adventure writer Matthew Thompson – the perfect end to a wonderful weekend of books, food, wine and more books!
For full program and tickets: mudgeereaders.com
To get in touch with the festival: info@mudgeereaders.com
