Don’t miss The Festival of Stories this weekend

THE Festival of Stories celebrates the experiences and stories of published authors from every genre through art, music, poetry, comedy and performances and is on this weekend.

Held at Berninneit in Cowes on Saturday and La Provincia in Corinella on Sunday, the Festival will present and showcase a great diversity of talent each telling their unique story.

A smoking ceremony will open the Festival, followed by a Deep Listening and Truth-Telling Panel featuring Daniel Church a Darug Artist, Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir OAM, educator, activist, Uncle Steve Ulula Parker and hosted by Dr Laura Brearley, intercultural and environmental arts specialist.

Presentations from Lorin Clarke, author of Would That Be Funny?, Sue Hines on Australian publishing, a Q and A workshop on non-fiction writing with Rees Quilford, Lucinda Bain and Catherine Watson will follow.

Megan Rogers will present The Pathway to Publication, the Penguin Foundation and Puffin Books will launch co-produced book The Littlest Penguin and the night will end with Brian Nankervis (co-creator of Rockwiz) telling stories from a consummate performers point of view.  

On Sunday Jess Geyer, a Wonthaggi local will be providing musical entertainment and accompaniment and two writers will present on the day.

Darren Mort, children's book author, actor and barrister will talk about how his role in the arts compliments his work in the family law court system.

Allan Pentland, a poet, script writer and screenwriter from French Island will offer comical musings and characterisations of young people using his love of language.

The festival of Stories is organised by local group The Island Story Gathering, a nonprofit dedicated to people telling stories in a range of ways that are accessible to others in the Bass Coast area, in conjunction with the Bass Coast Council and Myli library.

This will be a relaunch of the Festival of Stories that first began in 2018 and 2019.