The Lakefield Literary Festival celebrates its rich literary heritage each July on the weekend closest to Margaret Laurence’s birthday, and showcases many current Canadian authors. The festival was created to celebrate the work of Catharine Parr Traill, Susanna Moodie and Margaret Laurence, among others, all of whom lived and wrote in Lakefield.

Highlights:

ANIMALS ABOUND AT THE CHILDREN’S TENT
Saturday July 13
9:30 am Cenotaph Park.
Admission: Free to all. Donations are appreciated.
We are excited to bring together the award-winning creators of the Stanley picture books and the Good Times Travel Agency series, author Linda Bailey and illustrator, Bill Slavin. Linda will also tell the story Toads on Toast, her newest picture book. Bill’s love of comics shines through in his graphic novel series, Elephants Never Forget. He is pleased to present the latest book in the series. Bill’s partner in life and work, Esperança Melo is the designer of this year’s Festival T-shirts. Her newest books include Mr. Dash and the Cupcake Calamity and Jojo the Giant, nominated for the 2013 Blue Spruce Award.

STORIES ABOUT STORYTELLERS
2:30pm Bryan Jones Theatre, Lakefield College School
Admission: $20.00
Join host and Trent University teacher, Lewis MacLeod, as we greet a giant in the Canadian publishing world, Douglas Gibson and many famous Canadian authors. The one-man show based on his most recent book, Stories About Storytellers: Publishing Alice Munro, Robertson Davies, Alistair MacLeod, Pierre Trudeau and Others, consists of Douglas telling stories about the authors he got to know well in the course of his amazing career as their Editor and Publisher. Each of the 21 authors he discusses at length appears on a central screen behind him in a lively caricature specially created by the mischievous Tony Jenkins of The Globe and Mail. Over 40 versions of the unique show have been given in eight provinces across Canada since October 2011 producing reactions such as “hilarious”, “moving” and “entertaining and informative.” This presentation could only come from someone who has had a long and fascinating career working behind the scenes with some of the most memorable literary men and women of our era.

And more events scheduled!
Purchase tickets on-line or by mail. See website for details.