Getting the word out
Organizers set for Read by the Sea on July 8
Books are arriving, writers’ accommodations are arranged, drivers and minders have their orders, the swag tent is filling up, flowers are coming and prayers for fine weather are heartfelt and heaven-sent.
A group of 15 women are the second generation organizers of the 18th edition of Read by the Sea, which takes place in River John on Saturday, July 8.
The festival began in 2000 after writer Linda Little, Hazel Felderhof and Susan Sellers – all book lovers – enlisted librarian Linda Arsenault to help them with their idea of using the village’s natural beauty as the backdrop for an outdoor literary festival.
The festival is free, and while last year was unseasonably cold, attendance still topped 500.
Nova Scotia novelists Christy Ann Conlin (Heave, Memento) and Lesley Crewe (Relative Happiness, Amazing Grace) will be joined by investigative writer Dean Jobb (Empire of Deception, The Acadians) and Ontario writer Terry Fallis (One Brother Shy, The Best Laid Plans) for this year’s event.
Norma Baillie likes to be busy, and after retiring from 35 years of meeting and greeting people at the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission, she was happy to take on something new. She enjoys reading, so she had an interest in the festival, but it was her sense of community that brought her to the organizing committee.
“This festival has been a blessing for River John – a real boost to community spirit. A lot of people might not have paid much attention until Margaret Atwood came, but she woke people up to the fact that we had a first-class literary festival in River John,” she said.
Atwood, one of Canada’s foremost writers and a guest in 2003, expressed her delight with the venue and format.
Ann Dolan, a therapist who retired to River John, is a die-hard reader who naturally gravitated to the festival and is happy to help out.
“For many years I had to do a lot of professional reading, so I love being able to keep up on things I’m interested in or to read just for enjoyment. I could pick up Anne of Green Gables today and enjoy every minute all over again. Bringing a variety of great writers here to read their work is wonderful.”
Read by the Sea begins with a pitch the publisher segment, which is now close to capacity.
“We’ve already had a writer from the States contact us, asking to be included, so that is an indication that word of this festival has traveled quite a distance,” said writer Monica Graham.
Five members of a Toronto book club organized their holidays around last year’ festival and six members of a Fredericton club will be attending this year.
Saturday’s event is the culmination of a whole week of reading and writing events in River John. It kicks off July 3 with WordPlay, the children’s component of the festival, which author and committee member Sheree Fitch will host, along with the official opening of her Mabel Murple Book Shoppe. The guest authors are Marie Louise Gay (Stella: Queen of the Sea and Travels with My Family) and Alan Syliboy (The Thundermaker) with entertainment from the Fancy Shawl Dancers of Millbrook First Nation and a musical group, Wild City Roses.
“We’re also going to have local writers doing readings in different village venues throughout the week, so it is a lot of work, but people enjoy it and that’s very rewarding for the committee,” said Graham.
A new event for this year is a Saturday evening kitchen party featuring writers Fallis and Cape Breton’s Bill Conall, both of whom are recent winners of the Stephen Leacock Medal for humour in writing. Both are also musicians and are billing their event as an evening of story and song.
Each year festival organizers rely on visiting authors and visitors to spread the word about their festival. Graham noted it’s a big plus when they contact writers who have already heard good things about Read by the Sea from other writers.
“We’ve got a beautiful community and we make sure people enjoy our hospitality and that is the best way we can advertise,” added Baillie.
The festival takes place at the Royal Canadian Legion Memorial Garden, also offering a panel discussion between authors, new and slightly used books for sale, music and food trucks.