Welcome to the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts 2011
Every spring, when the Festival brochure arrives, as it has for the past 29 years, you know that all is right in the world of Canadian literature and books. You know, too, even though the Canucks are still playing hockey, that summer is the next stop on the seasonal rotation.
Our producer and programming committee have not been loafing around watching hockey games all winter; rather they have been rounding up another festival's worth of novelists, poets, non-fictionists, short fictionists, memoirists, biographers, prize-winners, bestsellers, the famous, the soon to be famous, rookies and veterans.
Last year's green initiative was an unqualified success. Two bags of garbage, zero plastic water bottles, and loads of recycling and compostable matter indicates that everyone was onside. Please bring your own refillable water bottles and coffee cups again this year. There will be food on-site provided by Pierrot to Go and Saffron Restaurant, and the Sunday evening salmon dinner will again be offered by Pebbles Restaurant.
We are pleased to report that the District of Sechelt has undertaken a project to improve access to the site and the overall safety of the Rockwood grounds, particularly for those with mobility considerations.
Festival 29 runs from August 4–7, 2011. We invite you to take part.
Click here to find out how to purchase tickets.
Join us on Facebook2011 Schedule
Festival Planner 2011 (PDF)
Click names/events for photos and bios.
Thursday, August 4th
Event # 1: 8:00 pm - Sylvia Tyson SOLD OUT
Friday, August 5th
Event # 2: 9:00 am - Johanna Skibsrud
Event # 3: 10:30 am - John Vaillant SOLD OUT
Event # 4: 1:00 pm - Terry Fallis
Event # 5: 2:30 pm - Anna Porter
Event # 6: 4:00 pm - Zsuzsi Gartner and Sarah Selecky
Event # 7: 7:00 pm - Margaret Trudeau SOLD OUT
Event # 8: 8:30 pm - Timothy Taylor
Saturday, August 6th
Event # 9: 9:00 am - Sandra Gulland
Event #10: 10:30 am - Robert J.Wiersema
Event #11: 1:00 pm - Susan Juby
Event #12: 2:30 pm - Lorna Goodison
Event #13: 4:00 pm - The Meter's Running: Garry Gottfriedson and Chris Bose
Event #14: 7:00 pm - Charles Foran
Event #15: 8:30 pm - Judy Fong Bates -
Bruce Hutchison Memorial Lecture
Sunday, August 7th
Event #16: 9:00 am - Wayne Grady and Merilyn Simonds
Event #17: 10:30 am - Grant Lawrence
Extra Event: 11:45 am - Jerry Thompson — Free Community Event
Event #18: 1:00 pm - Alexander MacLeod
Event #19: 2:30 pm - New Voices: Janet Romain and Gurjinder Basran with Sheryl MacKay
Event #20: 4:00 pm - Giles Blunt
5:30 pm - Pebbles Restaurant Salmon Dinner
Event #21: 7:30 pm - Ivan Coyote and Veda Hille
Venue
All ticketed events take place in the Festival Pavilion at Rockwood Centre in Sechelt, British Columbia. Click here for full contact information. Click here for maps.
- Please note that for security purposes, the Pavilion will be cleared after each performance.
- Taping and recording any event is prohibited.
- Use of cameras and video recorders is not permitted in the Pavilion.
- Parents are requested to remove noisy or restless children from the Pavilion.
- Please, no cellular phones during events.
- Patrons with physical disabilities are requested to call ahead if reserved or special seating is required. Limited parking for patrons with disabilities is available on a first come first served basis.
- Please, no dogs on the Festival site (with the exception of guide dogs).
Prices 2011
| Festival Pass (Events 1-21) | $250.00 | |
| Day Pass (Friday or Saturday) | $85.00 | Friday SOLD OUT |
| Day Pass (Sunday) | $75.00 | SOLD OUT |
| Individual Events | $15.00 | |
| Pebbles Restaurant Salmon Dinner (Sunday) | $18.00 |
Note: Please read Guest Information, including
Important Info - The Fine Print.
Click here to find out how to purchase tickets.
Other Festival Attractions
As in previous years, the Festival site offers a variety of attractions.
During the day, the "Big Tent" (on the site of the former North Wing) is the place to browse and buy. You'll find all kinds of literary goods, including autographed books (and others) at the book sales table, and a wide selection of Festival fashions and souvenirs.
Also on display are posters and publications from The Alcuin Society, an organization dedicated to book lovers, the book arts, fine printing and reading.
You're also invited to participate in daily contests at the Rockwood gardens. Look for contest details posted on the bulletin boards throughout the grounds.
Self-Published Authors Under the Big Top
Sunshine Coast self-published writers have had a significant presence at the Festival for the past eight years. Once again returning and new-to-the-Festival authors, artists and poets offer a wide range of genres: humour, mystery, history and the legacy of family stories; picture books for and studies about children; books about self-realization, spiritual and physical fitness.
Get to know these self-published authors online and meet them all in the Big Tent during the Festival.
- Terry Barker www.lastchancethislife.com
- Sheila Cameron http://hipconnection.wordpress.com/special-announcement/
- Jane Covernton www.janecovernton.ca
- Elizabeth Elwood www.elihuentertainment.com
- Yvette Fleming www.yvettefleming.com
- Jan Jensen www.janjensentlc.com
- Gillian Kydd www.beachavenuepublishing.com
- Audrey Owen www.AmazingBritishColumbia.com
- Leena Wright www.deathwillsandestates.ca
