Bigger, better Port Burwell Writer’s Festival planned

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

A bigger and expanded Port Burwell Writer’s Festival is planned for the Victoria Day weekend.

And although the event is in Port Burwell, there are at least two connections to Tillsonburg. Event organizer and founder Kim Epple lived in Tillsonburg from the age of eight until she graduated from Glendale High School. Now living in St. Catharines, she returned to Port Burwell for the public school reunion three years ago and was staying at Jim Hevernor’s bed and breakfast when they were discussing how many writers were from Port Burwell.

“I mentioned I write as a hobby, and met two other girls from Bayham who write. He mentioned all these other writers,” Epple recounted as the genesis of the idea.

Epple writes for Merriton Matters, a local newspaper in St. Catharines, and has been published in Canadian Nurse twice, as well as a few other newspapers. She also wrote a book, “Go North” by Kae C. Wiebe, her pen name, which is for sale on Amazon.

The initial event last year had 13 writers, and that number has increased to 16, who will either be presenting or selling their items at the event.

Presentations start on the Friday with Martha Morrison making a presentation on how to make time for the writing life at the Straffordville Public Library at 11 a.m. Tillsonburg Post writer Jeff Tribe, who recently published his first novel, will be speaking on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Port Burwell’s Periscope Playhouse on how to get published. Kelly Young will round out the writer’s presentations with a talk on “Origins and Write What You Know.” Debra Honour will also be speaking at the Straffordville Library, but her presentation will be on United Empire Loyalists and how to apply for UEL status.

The festival was held mainly in the Trinity Anglican Church parish hall last year. This year, it has expanded and is also at Periscope Playhouse. There is also much more involved than just writers.

The writers will have their books for sale at the playhouse, and a history book on Trinity Anglican Church will be available in the parish hall as the church celebrates its 190th birthday. Save the Lighthouse T-shirts will be for sale, as will information and books from the Bayham Historical Society. The Photographers of Otter Valley will be selling their postcards of local scenes.

Nate McIntyre of the Rip Current Information Project will be returning. Epple is glad to see that Port Burwell Provincial Park has a lifejacket loaner program, something McIntyre had been advocating for.

“We’ve got a mix this year of writers selling their books and vendors,” Epple said.

Trinity Anglican Church is also holding a fundraising luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Proceeds will go to the food bank. On Sunday, Port Burwell firefighters will be hosting a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon. The marine museum, HMCS Ojibwa, and Edison Museum will be open for tours on the weekend.

One interesting addition this year is the opportunity to meet Bayham athletes at Driftwood Care on Monday.

“We have national and international athletes in Bayham, and I think we need to celebrate that,” Epple said.

There are also three different informational hikes scheduled throughout the weekend.