Writers Festival Reinvigorated!

ByFestival Convenor

Thursday 15 June 2023 by Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Dates for the newly revitalised Whitsundays Writers Festival have been announced for Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 September 2024.

A new committee has been formed and its President, Karen Jacobsen, said she is thrilled to be part of a previously loved event.

“I look forward to celebrating uniquely Queensland and Australian stories with the authors we are excited to invite,” she said.

“The transformation of books and the love of reading is so important for the young and old, and we look forward to bringing readers and writers together at this fantastic event.”

Still in the planning stages, the keynote speakers are yet to be confirmed but discussions are already taking place to create a lively and entertaining festival itinerary.

It is expected this will include a mixture of interactive workshops, panel discussions and author talks.

There will also be a Cocktails and Poetry Salon on the Friday evening, a long table lunch on the Sunday afternoon, and a lively event on the Saturday Night.

On Saturday morning a selection of competition winners will be announced, and awards given.

Most notable is the Gloria Burley Award for the best unpublished manuscript.

Gloria Burley was the original Whitsunday Writers Festival Founder who sadly passed away in 2018.

She had a passion for story-telling and penned three books herself.

It is part of her vision that now continues with new vigour in 2024.

Attendees of next year’s festival can expect an engaging mixture onf genres, from crime to memoir, romance to screenwriting, and much more.

There is also expected to be a variety of informative talks covering hot topics such as Preserving the Written Word: Human vs AI/Chat GPT.

For lovers of reading, writing, books and words – the Whitsundays Writers Festival 2024 is a banquet of cultural entertainment – so save the date and invite your friends to a four-day event where everyone is welcome.

WHAT: Whitsunday Writers Festival 2024

WHEN: Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 September 2024