The McGregor Poetry Festival celebrates 12 years with the theme “Towards a Wonderful World” in an intimate Poetry Weekend-Gathering format.
We invite you to join us for a warmhearted gathering of poets from the 6th – 8th September. We have themed our weekend TOWARDS A WONDERFUL WORLD to instill a sense of hope and beauty, through poetry, into our turbulent world.
If you are a poetry lover or take pleasure in the written word, our weekend offers a generous variety of events. Included in our programme are well-known poets presenting their latest work. We’ll also showcase young, exciting new talent, poetry for peace and healing, voices extoling a wonderful world and poetry of the Beloved. You will hear odes, haiku, sonnets, free-verse, love poems and much more.
We are especially excited to present the long-lost epic work of Robert Grendon Nongamu, which has now finally published.
We have a special session honouring some of the small publishers who keep poetry alive: uHlanga Press, Modjaji, Botsotso, Dryad Press, Stanzas, Deep South, New Contrast, Strandwolf Press and African Sun Press.
You will have the opportunity to read your own poetry at the Hugh Hodge Open Mic, hosted by Harry Owen, and The Red Wheelbarrow Open Mic hosted by Jacques Coetzee and Eduard Burle. Our weekend also includes a fun Quiz called “That’s Entertainment”, as well as Ashley Dowds` acclaimed one man show CIRCLE SONG. There will be an art exhibition at La Galleria featuring the work of Adriaan Landmann. And we will launch the 2023 Poetry in McGregor Anthology, with readings.
As with all our previous festivals, the caliber of work will be exemplary and you’ll again hear Die Mengelmoes Digters – Theresa Carstens, Diana Ferrus, Fiona Fertyn, Gaireyah Fredericks, Naidene Lottering, Sophia Oliphant and Jadrick Pedro.
Elisa Galgut, Christine Coates, Wendy Woodward, Gertrude Fester, Stephanie Saunders, Chantal Stewart, Steve Shapiro and Archie Swanson, among others, will also be presenting.
Gaireyah Fredericks will accompany the young poets she mentors, and they will read their work at a dedicated session.
We will celebrate past festivals with readings, in English and Afrikaans, from the 2013 to 2022 anthologies.
Poems read at the open mics will be eligible for awards, and for inclusion in the 2024 anthology.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing inspiring energy within the tranquil creative garden at Temenos Retreat. Bookings through Quicket or at the Temenos office.
Download the full programme here: https://poetryinmcgregor.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Poetry-In-McGregor-Programme-2024-Final-1.pdf
For more information, please visit our website https://poetryinmcgregor.co.za/
