Eden Mills Writers' Festival
Encyclopedia
Introduction
The Eden Mills Writers' Festival is a festival that is celebrated once a year and is held in the beautiful village of Eden Mills. Eden Mills is approximately 12 KM west of GuelphGuelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Eden Mills is a small village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, which encompasses a strong sense of community. It is charming, scenic and unique; a perfect setting for a festival. The festival includes readings by poets, authors and other writers at various outdoor venues throughout the village. The festival takes place the second Sunday after Labor Day in September. In previous years more than 40 Canadian authors appeared to give readings and interact with audiences. . Notable Canadian writers such as Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
and P. K. Page
P. K. Page
Patricia Kathleen Page, CC, OBC, FRSC , commonly known as P. K. Page, was a Canadian poet. She was the author of over 30 published books: of poetry, fiction, travel diaries, essays, children's books, and an autobiography.By special resolution of the United Nations, in 2001 Page's poem "Planet...
became part of the festival as well. In 2011, the festival celebrates its 22nd season.
The festival has outdoor readings by professional writers and provides opportunities for young and unpublished writers to present their work in a juried reading session called "the fringe". There are also two literary contests: the Ishar Singh
Ishar Singh
Captain Ishar Singh VC OBI was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
Poetry Contest and the festival literary contest for new writers over age 16. The festival also includes a book vendors' bazaar, an aboriginal event, a children's site and musical events. Eden Mills is located on the Eramosa River
Eramosa River
The Eramosa River is a river in Wellington County in western Ontario which rises near Erin, Ontario and flows southwest through the city of Guelph, where it joins the Speed River, which then enters the Grand River in Cambridge....
and the festival's principal readings take place on its banks. The event draws several thousand guests each year.
Each year audiences of several thousand, from all over the world, now come to the Festival to enjoy the unique mix of quaint surroundings, great literature, and relaxed ambiance. In Leon Rooke
Leon Rooke
Leon Rooke, CM is a Canadian novelist. He was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina in the United States. Educated at the University of North Carolina, he moved to Canada in 1969. He now lives in Toronto, Ontario....
’s words, Eden Mills is a place “where new writers are introduced to a large audience and established writers are newly engaged.”
History
In 1989 the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival began with a vision by a local resident, writer and Governor General Award winner, Leon Rooke. Since 1989, the festival has occurred annually though expanding and becoming more recognized and respected, locally, nationally and internationally.The festival actually began in the original General Store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, which was built in 1877 . The owners of the general store at the time, Don and Mark Holman, suggested to Leon Rooke (who, at this time, was living with his wife Constance across the street) to launch his latest novel A Good Baby, from just outside the store. Leon invited other writers to this event, such as Rohinton Mistry
Rohinton Mistry
Rohinton Mistry is an Indian-born Canadian writer in English. Residing in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, Mistry is of Indian origin, originally from Mumbai, Zoroastrian and belongs to the Parsi community. Mistry is a Neustadt International Prize for Literature laureate .-Biography:Rohinton Mistry was...
, Michael Ondaatje
Michael Ondaatje
Philip Michael Ondaatje , OC, is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist and poet of Burgher origin. He is perhaps best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patient, which was adapted into an Academy-Award-winning film.-Life and work:...
, Jane Urquhart
Jane Urquhart
Jane Urquhart, OC is a Canadian novelist and poet.-Biography:Born 200 miles north of Thunder Bay, Ontario in Little Longlac , Ontario, Jane Urquhart is the third of three children and the only daughter of Marian and Walter Carter, a prospector and mining engineer...
and Linda Spalding
Linda Spalding
Linda Spalding is a Canadian writer and editor. Born in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Jacob Alan Dickinson and Edith Senner, she lived in Mexico and Hawaii before moving to Toronto, Ontario in 1982....
. A small audience of 350 people emerged and the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival had begun .
The Festival Over the Years
Over the years, the Festival has taken place in an array of different Eden Mills venues, most of which, are outdoors. Some are on the banks of the Eramosa River, others are in local residents scenic backyards, to name a few. These outdoor settings certainly add to the ambience and magic of this festival. In addition to the main venues, there is a popular Aboriginal area (the Adisokaun stage). There is also a very popular location for children called Children's Site at Jenny's Place. There have been additions to the festival including the fringe and Young Adult readings, as well as, two annual literary competitions. The festival also has a section of the village partitioned for Publishers' Way. This is where booksellers, publishers, magazine producers and non-profit groups can display their work. Authors also congregate here to meet fans and sign their books. There is live music between readings and local food vendors selling various types of food to accommodate all diets. This all happens within the small village and is only a short distance to walk from venue to venue. The festival does offer transportation for anyone who cannot walk from venue to venue.Running the Festival
The Festival is run completely by volunteers. Many of these volunteers have been with the festival for years, yet there are new volunteers every year. There is an 8 person board, 6 of which are Eden Mills residents. There is a general membership of approximately 50 people, who assist with fundraisingFundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
, operations, publicity
Publicity
Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people , goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one...
, author selection, entertainment and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. On the day of the festival there is 60 volunteers to help. Even the private sites that are used for readings are used free of charge. This is a festival made of local support and generosity.
A Unique Festival
Eden Mills is the first community in North America to attempt to become Carbon Neutral footprint. This is reflected in the festival planning and activities. Often times, festivals can reek havoc on the surrounding environment. The Eden Mills Writers' festival is the exception, "To avoid landfill-clogging plastic bottles, Eden Mills brings in a water tank to dispense treated water to thirsty attendees. Festival volunteers discourage the use of disposableDisposable
A disposable is a product designed for cheapness and short-term convenience rather than medium to long-term durability, with most products only intended for single use. The term is also sometimes used for products that may last several months to distinguish from similar products that last...
food containers by transporting dirty dishes on electric-powered bikes for washing at a neighbouring summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
. Shuttle buses from downtown Guelph help reduce the need for cars." This is a unique festival not to be missed!