Literary festival

A literary festival, also known as a book festival or writers' festival, is a regular gathering of writers and readers, typically on an annual basis in a particular city. A literary festival usually features a variety of presentations and readings by authors, as well as other events, delivered over a period of several days, with the primary objectives of promoting the authors' books and fostering a love of literature and writing.

Writers' conferences, although similar to literary festivals, are sometimes designed to provide an intellectual and academic focus for groups of writers without the involvement of the general public.

There are many literary festivals held around the world. A non-exhaustive list is set out below, including dates when a festival is usually held (where available).

Asia-Pacific

* Adelaide Writers' Week, held during the Adelaide Festival of Arts
* Brisbane Writers' Festival, September 29-October 2
* Hong Kong Book Festival, November 17-19, 24-26
* [http://www.hklf.org.hk/index.php?lang=en Hong Kong Literature Festival] , June 30-July 16
* Hong Kong International Literary Festival, March 7-15
* Kitab in India (see Pablo Ganguli)
* Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival, July 29-31
* Melbourne Writers' Festival, August 19-28
* Newcastle, New South Wales National Young Writers' Festival, September 28-October 2
* Perth Writers' Week, February 23-1 March
* Singapore Writers' Festival, October 26-September 4
* Sydney Writers' Festival, May 23-29

Europe

* Rencontres aubrac, France, Aveyron
* Arty Malta Festival, Valletta (see Pablo Ganguli)
* International Literature Festival Berlin
* Cheltenham Literature Festival, October 6-15
* Chester Literature Festival, October
* Correntes d'Escritas, Póvoa de Varzim, Second half of February
* Edinburgh International Book Festival, August 13-29, coinciding with the general Edinburgh Festival
* Folkestone Literary Festival, September 20-25
* The Hay Festival, May 27-June 5
* Venice Literary Biennale, Italy (see Pablo Ganguli)
* Oxford Literary Festival, April 10-17
* Peak Literary Festival, October 25 -Nov 5 /May 25 -June6
* Prague Writers Festival, June 3-10
* Reykjavík International Literary Festival, [http://www.bokmenntahatid.is/page/english (Bókmenntahátíd)] , since 2000
* Runnymede International Literary Festival, [http://www.rfest.co.uk/rfest07_programme.pdf since 2006]
* Word About Town, Hastings, November 15-20
* Jewel of Russia (see Pablo Ganguli)

Middle East

* Majestic Petra (see Pablo Ganguli)
* BAI - Dubai International Arts and Literary Festival (see Pablo Ganguli)

North America

* AJC Decatur Book Festival, Decatur, Georgia, September 1–3, 2006
* Antigua and Barbuda International Literary Festival, [http://www.antiguaandbarbudaliteraryfestival.com/ since 2006] , Antigua, West Indies, Nov. 7-9, 2008
* Banff Mountain Book Festival, October 31–November 2, 2007
* Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival, April 30-May 3, 2008
* Brattleboro Literary Festival, October 3–5, 2008
* Burlington Book Festival, September 15–17 2006
* Calabash International Literary Festival, [http://www.calabashfestival.org/2007/sh/purpose.htm since 2001] , Jamaica
* Edmonton International Literary Festival, [http://www.litfestalberta.org/aboutlitfest.html since 2002] , Canada’s only Creative Non-fiction Festival
* [http://www.frye.ca The Frye Festival] , Moncton, New Brunswick, April 23 -27 2008. Honouring Northrop Frye. International cast.
* Hollywood Book Festival, July 28, 2007
* Litquake, since 2002, San Francisco, annually in October
* Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, late April/early May
* Midwest Literary Festival, Aurora, Illinois, 2nd weekend of September [2005, 2006, 2007]
* New Orleans Literary Festival, March 30–April 3
* [http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/1096 PEN World Voices, the New York Festival of International Literature] , New York
* Spring Literary Festival, Ohio University, three days, held in May, since 1986
* Toronto International Festival of Authors, annually in October
* Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival, annually in October
* [http://www.vabook.org Virginia Festival of the Book] , Charlottesville, Virginia, March 26–30, 2008
* Winnipeg International Writers Festival
* Women Writers Conference, The, Lexington, Kentucky, September 11-13, 2008
* Words Alive Literary Festival, since 2007, Sharon, Ontario at the Sharon Temple historic site, September 21, 2008
* [http://www.maineliteraryfestival.com Maine Literary Festival] , since 2006, Camden, Maine, November 7-9, 2008

ee also

*Author
*Literature
*Writing