The Words on the Waves literary festival returns to the Central Coast on June 3-6, with events at Umina Beach and Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Clubs.
After the success of its inaugural 2021 program, the not-for-profit festival will host some of Australia’s leading writers, thinkers and artists.
Highlights on Saturday, June 4, include Australian authors Charlotte Wood, Thomas Mayor, Favel Parrett, Hannah Kent, Sofie Laguna and Kate Forsyth.
At 11.30am, Liars & Larrikins & Lechers sees Quarterly Essay writer, Lech Blaine, Crikey editor, Bernard Keane, and emeritus professor of politics at La Trobe University, Judith Brett, examine Australian class and the myth of the “top bloke” in politics.
In Bearing Witness from 1.30pm, Amani Haydar (Archibald Prize finalist), Louise Milligan (ABC investigative journalist) and Antoinette Lattouf (Media Diversity Australia co-founder) examine what it means to “tell the truth” in a media setting or on the witness stand.
On Sunday, June 5, speakers and panelists include Bryan Brown, Chris Hammer, Lucy Treloar, Charlotte McConaghy, Delia Falconer and Wendy McCarthy.
We Can’t Handle the Truth from 10-11am will see Van Badham (TV commentator, theatre maker) and Ed Coper (communications expert) explore “fake news” and the QAnon phenomenon.
At 11.30am, Why Land Matters will see Matthew Evans (SBS TV chef), Victor Steffensen (Indigenous fire management specialist) and Gabrielle Chan (Guardian regional editor) explore land management, farming and sustainability.
The importance of “own voices” for artists with disability is examined in Creatable, also at 11.30am, with Debra Keenahan, Jessica Walton, Heidi Everett and Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch.
Special events
There will be a screening of Candy at Cinema Paradiso at 6pm on June 4, hosted by Margaret Pomeranz and including an evening of conversation with screenwriter and novelist Luke Davies.
From 11am to 2pm on Sunday, June 5, a Family Fun Day at Umina Beach Public School will feature storytelling from the authors of the Bin Chicken books, Kate and Jol Temple, Roundabout Circus and Face Fiction, who will roam with magical entertainers and face painting.
A Literary Cruise on the Hawkesbury River will leave Patonga wharf at 10am on Monday, June 6. Hosted by historian, Ian Hoskins, it features local poet Robert Adamson and literary wordsmith Delia Falconer.
The full program also includes Late Night Lit, with speakers Omar Musa, Luke Carman and Eda Gunaydin; Hannah Kent in conversation with Van Badham at Naughty Noodle Fun Haus; writing workshops with Darcy Coates and Kate Forsyth, and local author book launches.
For full program and bookings, visit wordsonthewaves.com.au.
Source:
Media release, May 24
Words on the Waves