The end of winter is finally in sight, and to close the chapter on this chilly season, there’s a peaceful literary festival happening in Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. Set across five days, the Words in Winter festival will feature 35 writers, artists and storytellers, taking part in talks, open mics, workshops and more. Around town, you’ll also find unexpected moments and interactive experiences, such as ‘Silent Reading Spots’. Some events are free to attend, or simply require a gold coin donations, while others are ticketed. Words in Winter will run from Wednesday, August 26 to Sunday, August 30.
Words in Winter
The theme this year is Curiouser and Curiouser, with a program filled with surprising, peculiar and wondrous events.
Daylesford Town Hall will be the Festival Hub, hosting a series of Town Hall Talks, tackling topics like aging, creativity, belonging and even food systems. Books will be available for purchase and signings. At the hub, in the Senior Citizens Centre, you’ll also find a Community Book Swap. Browse through the dedicated Adult and Kids tables, drop off a pre-loved book and pick out something new to take home.
If you love a good talk, The Convent Daylesford will also host the Convent Conversations series. These ticketed events include a glass of bubbles on arrival. Listen to local writer Tony Kelly chat with Fernanda Dahlstrom about her memoir, The Framing, or hear local playwright Rebecca Lister in conversation with Rosalie Ham, author of The Dressmaker.
The Back Bar will be the official festival bar. During the festival, you’ll find literary-themed drinks to help you unwind, with comfy couches, books and board games. It will also host the Cicada Story Slam, where anyone can share a five-minute true story inspired by the festival theme.
Sharpen your skills or learn something new at one of the workshops, and take part in other cool events, like a True & Fictional Crime Walking Tour. Sip your way through a wine tasting at Dilworth and Allain Studio and Cellar Bar, in celebration of the book, Six Peaks Speak, by Barry Golding. Or, unwind with a special dinner at the historic Old Macaroni Factory, and experience a menu inspired by three cookbooks, which helped influence Dave Willcocks, the chef of hatted Hepburn Springs restaurant The Surly Goat.
Around the Town
In the weeks leading up to and during the festival, both Daylesford and Hepburn Springs will have some free and surprising moments. Cafes and businesses around town will have Silent Reading Spots, where you can choose from a stack of books to read. This is all in the lead-up to the inaugural meeting of The Society of Silent Readers at Paradise Bookshop. Taking place on August 27, you can read your book, while surrounded by other strangers. They will provide cosy cups of chai, fresh fruit and heaters to keep you warm.
Stumble upon a typewriter, and choose to add a fresh line or alter something that was already there. As the collective draft evolves from more writers, the meanings of the text will shift.
Around Daylesford, you’ll also find some striking news headlines. These A2 ink drawings by Paul Mason will capture the feeling of a classic street newsstand, while drawing attention to current political and social issues.
For another surprise, purchase a loaf of bread from Two Fold Bakehouse at the Railway Market on Sunday, August 23. Every purchase will come with a free gift, such as a hand-selected poem, story or recipe. Inside the bread, there will also be two Golden Tickets, allowing two winners to receive a double pass to a Town Hall Talk or Convent Conversation of their choice.
To see the full program, click here.
