Programme of Events
Booktown 2016
20 – 22 May
From Friday, May 20 to Sunday May 22, Featherston will be the centre of attention for those who sell and love to buy and collect secondhand and antiquarian books. On Saturday and Sunday 21-22 booksellers and dealers from far-and-wide in New Zealand and Australia will have stalls in the ANZAC Hall and the streets of Featherston offering great deals and rare opportunities.
For more information on the writers and workshops below, click on the links (they're underlined).
The owners of The Royal Hotel have kindly offered the dining room as a venue, but please note that refreshments will not be available there.
We have three ticketed events - Fish and Chips Supper, NZ String Quartet (three concerts) and Joy Cowley's Creative Writing Workshop. Tickets available on Eventfinda (links below).
All other workshops are entry by koha.
*Denotes events especially suitable for youth
Friday 20 May
6.30pm
Fish & Chips Supper, with guest speaker, Richard Taylor, co-founder and co-director of the Weta companies in Wellington. Music by The Bush Rangers.
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
Tickets ($40) on Eventfinda SOLD OUT
Saturday 21 May
Books to suit all will be available to browse and buy on this first day of Featherston Booktown while special and related events will be staged at venues throughout the town. Visiting booksellers are located in the ANZAC Hall on the corner of Birdwood and Bell Streets. 10:00am to 4:00pm.
9.30 am
Anneleise Hall (The Secret Lives of Sheepdogs) reads aloud*
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
10.15 am
Michelle O’Connell (The Crossing, Leaving for the Front) reads aloud*
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
10.30 am
Jared Gulian (Moon Over Martinborough) Blogging as Literary Art Form
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
11.00 am
NZ String Quartet – Scary Music (1 of 3). Lyrics by Joy Cowley, music by Gareth Farr*
Most suitable for ages 5-12.
Senior Citizens’ Hall, 6 Lyon St
Tickets (free for 5-18 years, adults $5) on Eventfinda
Note price change - Free for children, only $5 for adults
11.00 am
PlayShop – 1 hour improvised theatre workshop, based on favourite children's literature (1 of 3)*
Supper Room, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
11.30 am
Antiquarian Book Consultation
Bring your family heirlooms or a curio you found and would love to hear about
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
12.00 noon
Joy Cowley "the Elvis Presley of Kindergarteners" (San Diego Tribune), reads aloud (1 of 2)*
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
1.00 pm
NZ String Quartet – Scary Music (2 of 3). Lyrics by Joy Cowley, music by Gareth Farr*
Most suitable for ages 5-12.
Senior Citizens’ Hall, 6 Lyon St
Tickets (free for 5-18 years, adults $5) on Eventfinda
Note price change - Free for children, only $5 for adults
1.00 pm
Steve Braunias, interviewed by Lincoln Gould
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
2.00 pm
Joy Cowley "the Elvis Presley of Kindergarteners" (San Diego Tribune), reads aloud (2 of 2)*
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
3.00 pm
NZ String Quartet – Scary Music (3 of 3). Lyrics by Joy Cowley, music by Gareth Farr*
Most suitable for ages 5-12.
Senior Citizens’ Hall
Tickets (free for 5-18 years, adults $5) on Eventfinda
Note price change - Free for children, only $5 for adults
3.00 pm
Harry Ricketts interviewed by Peter Biggs
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
4.30 pm
Professors Keir Reeves and Andrew Reeves, and Associate Professor Lyndon Fraser present a panel disussion on their new gold rush book, Rushing for Gold
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
4.30 pm
Kids Literary Quiz, for all ages
Featherston Library, 72 Fitzherbert St
Sunday 22 May
Books to suit all will be available to browse and buy on this second day of Featherston Booktown while special and related events will be staged at venues throughout the town. Visiting booksellers are located in the ANZAC Hall. 10:00am to 4:00pm
9.30 am
Mary-anne Scott & Joy Watson – a duo of mother & daughter, both writers, discuss "Keeping it in the Family."
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
9.30 am
PlayShop (2 of 3) - 1 hour improvised theatre workshop, based on favourite children's literature*
Supper Room, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
11.00 am
Erin Kavanagh-Hall, editor and journalist, reads her poetry
Retro Back Room, Senior Citizens’ Hall, 6 Lyon St
11.30 am
Prizes for winners of pre-school, 6-9 years and 10-12 years
Meet in Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St, parading to For the Love of Books, 89 Fitzherbert St
Judges - Kate De Goldi and Penny Griffin
11.30 am
Bob Francis (A Story of My Town) reads aloud
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
12 noon
Judy Knighton writes historical romances with feisty heroines
Retro Back Room, Senior Citizens' Hall, 6 Lyon St
12.30 pm
Discombobulated Dogs - a craft workshop for junior fiction readers 8-13 years, led by craft queen and WOW wonder Fifi Colston. Mākaro Press authors Julie Lamb and Anne Manchester will inspire the crafters with readings from their hot-diggedy-dog novels set in the Wairarapa. Koha appreciated.*
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
1.00 pm
Phillip Percy (Mr Phelps' Fish Truck, Fairy Knees) *
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
1.00–4.00 pm
Joy Cowley's Creative Writing Workshop for Adults - planning a work for any age of reader, the freedom of "telling" a planned story in writing and editing techniques 'cutting and polishing the diamond'
Senior Citizens’ Hall, 6 Lyon St
Tickets (17 - 20 years $20, 21+ years $40) on Eventfinda
Book now. Tickets selling fast.
2.00 pm
Kate De Goldi (The ACB with Honora Lee, From the Cutting Room Floor of Barney Kettle) reads aloud *
Kiwi Hall, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
2.00 pm
Graeme Jupp – Upper Hutt-Featherston Railway: Yesterday and Today
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
2.30 pm
PlayShop (3 of 3) - 1 hour improvised theatre workshop, based on favourite children's literature*
Supper Room, in the ANZAC Hall complex, 62 Bell St
3.00 pm
Graeme Carter – the Rimutaka Tunnel
Royal Hotel, Dining Room, 22 Revans St
Ongoing events & workshops throughout the weekend:
Country Tea & Cakes (Supper Room, ANZAC Hall)
Mary and Shelley will once again run their pop-up tea shop from 10 am - 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. Take a break from book-browsing for a fresh brew and a home-made cake or biscuit. All profits to the Featherston Booktown Trust.
St Teresa’s School, 63 Bell St (opposite the ANZAC Hall)
Bookbinding (Robyn Ramsden, Jill Rose)*
Paper-craft - paper marbling and origami book art (Meg Prebble & Caron Dallas)*
Paper-making (Rob Kennedy)
Featherston School, Lyon St
Zine workshops (Murtle Chickpea – Sam Dew)*
St John's Church, 49 Fox St
Fundraising bookfair, both days
Wairarapa Art Sale, Community Centre, 14 Wakefield St
Fundraising for Featherston Community Centre
More information on Eventfinda
Fell Engine Museum, Lyon St
Gold coin entry both days
Around town
Forgotten Kiwi Songs of WW1 with David Dell in the ANZAC Hall
AnD:
-
Walking tours of Historic Featherston, guided by Porky Sexton - 11am, 3pm both days, setting off from The Royal Hotel carpark, 22 Revans St
-
Literary Treasure Trails* - collect your clues from Booktown HQ at Featherston Library
Three age groups for children; adult section as well -
Cross Creek Railway Society (Mini-Fell Engine) both days - Village Green*
Booktown Headquarters for the weekend are located in the Featherston Library, 72 Fitzherbert St
With the excitement in full flow, here's another series of events for you: Yarns in Barns, brought to you by Hedley's Books, Masterton