Elora Writers` Festival

INSIDE
WELLINGT­­­ON
Second Section
May 17, 2013
Elora Writers’
Festival: Celebrating
Canadian writers
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Inside Wellington - Second Section of The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, May 17, 2013 PAGE THREE
Elora Writers’
Festival:
Celebrating
Canadian writers
by Kelly Waterhouse
ELORA - As the Elora because I was pretty awestruck
Writers’ Festival turns the page and young. Of course, we
on its 20th year, one of the asked him to read the first year
women who started it all will of the festival.”
The organizers knew what
return, this time to the podium
to read from her first novel, they wanted their festival to be,
coming full circle from a fan of and throughout the early years
literature to an emerging voice they stayed true to their focus.
“We hoped to put together
within it.
The festival began with the programs that mixed known
Writers reunite - Authors Nicholas Ruddock and Cynthia Holz participated in the 2011 Elora Writers’ Festival held at the
youthful energy of two univer- names with new writers, and
Wellington County Museum and Archives.
photo by Andy Williams
sity students from the Fergus- more established literary
Cover photo - Ailsa Kay, one of the founders of the festival, will read to audiences from her first novel, Under Budapest, on
forms, such as the novel or the
Elora area.
May 26 at the Elora Centre for the Arts.
photo by Kelly Waterhouse
Ailsa Kay and Amy short story, with more experiAppleford were friends who mental ones, such as the sposhared a passion for literature ken word,” said Appleford.
“We hoped this mix would It’s a shame that it was let go, Adamson was a highlight, and but the Elora Writers’ Festival line in a Hungarian newspaper
and were inspired by the notable success and village charm appeal to folks who were Can- but it was an incredible amount poet Michael Crummey.
continues under the auspices several years ago that reported
of the Eden Mills Writers’ Lit aficionados and also people of work to organize.”
“That was a big deal,” she of the Elora Arts Council and a severed head was found on
who were just discovering our
Festival.
a volunteer committee specific Gellert Hill, along the Danube.
Early on, Kay and recalled.
“We wanted to start the nation’s awesome talent pool Appleford divided the duties.
“Everyone was amaz- to the event.
“I read that story and
festival because we believed for the first time.”
While some changes were thought, how did that happen?
Kay focused on grant appli- ing and generous to come out
Kay added, “In that first cations and sources for fund- to this small town to do the made and new venues used, It seemed like an odd space for
strongly that Canadian literature is world-class literature, year it was really important to ing, while Appleford sourced event,” said Appleford.
including the Drew House, the a murder. That’s what started
with its own particular range have writers at different stages appropriate venues and thought
Kay looks back on those Wellington County Museum, it,” said Kay, who added the
of voice and form, but that of their career. We wanted to of fundraising opportunities to early years fondly, calling Station Square and this year’s book was written “really fast,”
there needed to be more events help writers just starting out.”
the event “amateurish,” but addition of the Elora Centre for and to her credit was picked up
make the event a reality.
Booking authors turned out
where people could experiOver the years the writ- acknowledging that was part the Arts, the focus on bring- equally quick by Goose Lane
ence Canadian talent,” said easier than the pair anticipated. ers’ festival took place at of the festival’s charm. Writers ing well known and emerg- Editions.
They put the call out and the various venues throughout the were invited back to a dinner ing voices in Canadian literaAppleford.
“It’s something between
THE
SUBARU
LEGACY
wasALL-NEW
wonderful, some-2010
Like the INTRODUCING
setting in Eden response
village,
from the Elora
Mill’s at the home of either Kay or ture to audiences here has not a mystery and a historical
INTRODUCING
THE
ALL-NEW
2010 SUBARU
LEGACY
thing
organizers
Mills, the waters
and picturthen later wavered.
outdoor
area,thetodifference
a privatebehindAppleford’s
novel,” said Kay, explaining
This mid-size
sedan doesn’t
just present-day
look different this
year, it feels rear
different.
You feel
the wheel. Inparents,
the
reputation
of
the
esque landscape of Elora credit to the
SUPERIOR
JAPANESE
In fact
it has come full cir- the plot revolves around a murThis
mid-size
sedan
doesn’t
just
look
different
this
year,
it
feels
different.
You
feel
the
difference
behind
the
wheel.
In
the
turns with symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. Even your passengers feel it in the extra room in the rear seats. From the smart
ENGINEERING
FROM
SUPERIOR
after year.
seemed to be a fitting scene for festival year
cle. the
Michael
to derJAPANESE
in present day that is rooted
turns with symmetrical
All-Wheel
Drive. Even
your
passengers
it inthe
theLegacy
extra gives
room in the rear seats. From
smart Hale returned ENGINEERING
FROM
Japanese
engineering and dynamic
the many
strength
and presence
evident
in the
exterior feel
design,
“Amyperformance
and I readto as
a small cultural
festival.
read from his first
* novel once in the violence of the 1956
Japanese
engineering
and
dynamic
performance
to
the
strength
and
presence
evident
in
the
exterior
design,
the
Legacy
gives
lit dence,
journals
as we
KayDon’t compromise on your next Sedan purchase. Visit your local
“Elora is you
an a extraordinary
again at the festival in 1999,
greater sense of confi
comfort
andcould,”
excitement.
$ Hungarian* Revolution against
you
a greater
sense
of confidence, comfort and excitement. Don’t compromise on your next Sedan purchase. Visit
“The
writers
were
really
place, with andealer
amazing
history
and your
has local
since become one of the Soviet regime.
for a test
drive andsaid.
feel for
yourself.
have for
thea test
opportuniof artists of all kinds congre- happy to dealer
the volunteer members of the
Receiving high praise from
drive and feel for yourself.
gating there. And also people ty to read. I’ve never had a
festival’s board.
Hungarian-born literary critwho love the arts and want problem with any of the writAppleford is now an assis- ic Anna Porter, was “really
to live a beautiful life,” said ers. They were all easy going,
tant professor of English at affirming” for Kay, who notes
Appleford. “I think it is the funny and sweet.”
Boston University, teaching the book, released in April, has
Taking part in the first year
water; all that good sulphur
and writing about medieval lit- stirred some controversy.
- Co-founder Amy Appleford on what motivated her
was Elora writer Michael Hale,
nourishes the creative spark.”
erature and culture.
In her National Post review
to help start the Elora Writers’ Festival.
The pair set to work, plot- who read from his unpublished
“I salute all the organizers Porter wrote: “Under Budapest
story, The Spiral Variations.
ting their next steps.
and volunteers who gave their is a page-turner whose author
“It was very meaningful to backyard, a pub on Mill Street the Desert Rose Café.
“We didn’t think it would
time and energy the past two is a brilliant observer of realisbe too hard,” Kay says, recall- me to read from that work. It West, the downstairs bar of the
“Amy and I were so terri- decades to make the festival a tic detail, an uncompromising
ing the naive enthusiasm she had a lot to do with dealing Dalby House known as The fied to even talk to the writ- real fixture in the Ontario arts presenter of some fascinating
shared with her friend, neither with my little sister’s death Cellar, and the Gorge Cinema, ers,” Kay says, laughing. “We scene,” said Appleford.
characters, and an interesting
of whom had any experience when I was 10 years old,” Hale which Kay said was “a great couldn’t mingle at all the first
Kay, who recently returned adapter of Hungarian slang.”
said.
planning a festival.
to her roots in Fergus, comspace for the readings,” noting year, out of fear.”
A new chapter of the fesSharing the bill was author the seating and stage set-up
To begin, they sought the
Fortunately, that subsided pleted her PhD in literature tival begins as organizer turns
advice of Leon Rooke, founder Tom King of Guelph and short worked well.
and now teaches at Conestoga author when Kay brings her
with experience.
of the Eden Mills festival and story writer Deborah Meldazy
Friends became volunteer College. She has been invited words to the May 26 event.
The atmosphere was imporan author with many awards to of Elora.
tant to keep that sense of inti- drivers, waiters, ticket-takers to return to the festival she
“I’m excited. I can’t wait to
“It was an interesting mix macy in the festival, but also and whatever was needed.
his credit.
helped create to read from her go back,” said Kay.
Kay credits his willingness of authors,” Hale said.
When asked if this was first critically-acclaimed novel,
an authentic experience of the
Under Budapest is available
He added he appreciated village itself. It worked.
to give advice on the process of
a grassroots momentum, Under Budapest.
at Roxanne’s Reflections in
coordinating an event like his the organizers’ vision for the
“I am really excited about Fergus, and online at Amazon.
“The authors enjoyed the Appleford replied, “Well, if
and sharing information about festival, and also their respect public, but they also got to see grassroots means lots of won- reading at the festival, but I com.
grant resources as being instru- in offering a monetary sub- each other,” said Kay, noting derful people volunteering am a little more shy than I
Tickets for the Elora
mental in the launch of the first sidy for the authors as valuing it was an experience to see the their time and energy, then we would be if I were reading in Writers’ Festival, which takes
Words by the Water festival, their work, advice they credit camaraderie of the authors con- were definitely grassroots. We Toronto,” Kay admits, adding place from 1 to 4pm on May
which would later become the to Rooke.
necting at the various venues, definitely couldn’t have done she is happy she will be sur- 26 at the Elora Centre for the
“What Amy and Ailsa were like seeing Russell Smith and it without the support of the rounded by friends and family. Arts, are available online at
Elora Writers’ Festival.
“Leon Rooke was great. trying to do was make it more Susan Swan talking, reuniting Elora community, both busiHer debut novel is set in www.roxannesreflections.ca.
He was really friendly,” Kay equalitarian … they had fringe, as friends.
nesses and private individuals.” Hungary, a country Kay was Admission is $20.
says, recalling how naive she new writers, unpublished writAppleford and Kay closed enamoured with after spendRecalling some of the
For more information on
and Appleford were to the pro- ers and poets,” Hale said. “It authors that inspired her, Kay their chapter with the festival ing two sabbaticals there. The the event visit www.elorawcess. “He must have laughed was exciting, that structure. admits Canadian author Gil after several successful years, work was inspired by a head- ritersfestival.blogspot.ca.
“We believed strongly that
Canadian literature is world-class ...
with its own particular
range of voice and form.”
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