Five days of inspiring entertainment, debate and great books
WITH a record number of more than 150 events, it’s all systems go for this year’s Open Book Festival 2019, which organisers have described to be the best yet.
Taking place at the Book Lounge and Fugard Theatre, the ninth Open Book Festival which runs from tomorrow until September 8 will feature book launches, workshops, readings, performances, panel discussions and more, with topics ranging from poetry to politics, comics, food and fun.
The festival also hosts the popular Comics Fest, #cocreatePOETICA and various children’s and outreach programmes.
Other venues for the festival include the District Six Homecoming Centre and the A4 Arts Foundation. Selected events will also take place outside the city centre including Elsies River Library and Ottery Library.
“We’re ready for another inspiring five days of entertainment, insightful conversations, stimulating debate and great books,” said festival director Mervyn Sloman.
“We’re also excited about new additions to the programme including the mystery author 15-minute lunch time readings, poetry and ice-cream pairing and poetry yoga.”
Two of the international authors attending the event have been longlisted for The Booker Prize 2019. They are Chigozie Obioma (An Orchestra of Minorities) and Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister the Serial Killer).
The festival welcomes back Nicole Dennis-Benn (Patsy) who was a crowd favourite last year.
The dazzling array of South African authors taking part include Rekgotsofetse
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We’re also excited about new additions to the programme Mervyn Sloman festival director
Chikane (Breaking a Rainbow, Building a Nation), Haji Mohamed Dawjee (Sorry, Not Sorry), Caryn Dolley (The Enforcer), Zimitri Erasmus (Race Otherwise), Ishay Govender-Ypma (Curry: Stories and Recipes from Across South Africa), Kelly-Eve Koopman (Because I Couldn’t Kill You), Funeka Soldaat (Uhambo), Jonny Steinberg (One Day in Bethlehem), B Camminga (Beyond the Mountain) and Refiloe Moahloli (Yes Yanga!).
“We can’t wait to hear the winner of the Leopard’s Leap Take a Moment competition. Our incredible and long-standing partners will again host the popular #WORDS4WINE. Join Leopard’s Leap at their stand and exchange a pre-loved book for a glass of wine.”
This year’s festival will launch the first #WritingmyCity anthology, a partnership between Open Book Festival, the City of Cape Town and Cape Town public libraries to encourage people to submit their stories that speak to Cape Town in some way. A total of 187 entries were received in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.
The events take place from 10am to 9pm each day. For more details, see www.openbookfestival.co.za.
Bookings via Webtickets at www. webtickets.co.za
A festival day pass costs R150 and allows the holder to book for six events. A day pass on September 8 costs R100 for four events, and a full festival pass costs R600 and allows the holder to book for 30 events.