The Franschhoek Literary Festival is revived and ready to thrive.
The much-loved fest, a non-profit organisation that reigned as the labour of love of literary enthusiasts and volunteers was cancelled in 2020 due to a lack of funding. However, last year a new board saw donors and volunteers bring the festival back to life, and we can’t wait to enjoy all things insightful this May.
The FLF is hosting an in-person festival from 13 to 15 May with over 100 local and international authors gathering in the beautiful Winelands town, known for its romance and charm that gives Paris a run for its money. The programme is jam-packed with stimulating discussions covering topics from politics, sport, literature, memoir and fiction. And for the first time, it also has exciting children’s events for the whole family.
The FLF launched a membership programme to help secure the future of the festival in 2021. Together with the support of funders, we continue with our mandate to encourage a culture of reading in the Franschhoek valley and raise funds for community and school libraries.
The fest will run from Friday to Sunday and includes:
Writing workshops, theatre acts, discussions, music (from contemporary to classical) as well as fabulous dinner splurges with the Franschhoek Valley chefs – could a weekend be any more perfect for a lover of the arts?
As for the discussion topics that literary lovers will happily sink their teeth into, the following and more are to be included in the programmes:
- ‘Feel Good Incl’ where Máre Fisher alongside Daisy Jones and Lucinda Hooley (Love you Madly authors) will give us the scoop on feel-good novel ingredients.
- ‘The Five Wows! Developing a Lifelong Love of Learning which will challenge the education system and all its contestations through educational philosophy developed by Christopher Lloyd, an educationalist and historian.
- ‘Write Of Passage’ where Marthinus Basson will talk to Damon Galgut (2021 Brooker Prize winner of The Promise) in light of “fiction as an act of resistance – against ageing, complacency or depression” as per the FLF.
- ‘The Road Less Travelled’ where Adriaan Basson will challenge Tony Leon (Future Tense – Reflections on my Troubled Land) in imagining South Africa’s future brightly.
More info:
- You can make bookings via www.flf.co.za
- Keep up on social media via @franlitfest
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Picture: @franschhoeksa