This year’s installment of the Fog Lit festival kicked last night with the Character Workshop hosted by Marina Endicott at the Saint John Free Public Library.
The 2015 festival lineup features a weekend of creative writing inspired events happening daily with a number of special guests, including but not limited to authors Libby Creelman, David Goss, Clyde Wray, and Leslie Vryenhoek; industry professionals including Scott Thomas and Maria Vicente; and musicians Jesse Cox and Wayne Hansen.
Entering its third year, Fog Lit is a not-for-profit festival designed for “readers and writers of all ages”. Fog Lit’s has been updating its Facebook page, posting updates all month announcing their lineup for this year’s Festival.
Rosalyn Hyslop, Carole MacFarquhar, Abby Teed-Walton, and Andrea Kikuichi founded the festival in early spring of 2013. Wanting to “fill a void in the city for readers and writers, we created an all-inclusive festival, bringing emerging writers together in the city, and providing readers access to their favourite authors”.
During an e-mail interview about the festival with Rosalyn Hyslop and Andrea Kikuichi,
Hyslop stated, “the arts are critical to every community and especially Greater Saint John area in terms of increasing literacy, igniting creativity and building strong community minded residents” she goes on to say,
“Festivals and events like Fog Lit play an important role in generating jobs, attracting visitors to the city, attracting new residents to the area, and promoting the amazingly talented people working in the arts and culture community”.
Hyslop explains that Fog Lit is featuring a “great line-up of authors coming in, and local musicians playing at our events including two-time NB music award nominee Leo LaFleur; CBC Searchlight finalist Jesse Cox, and our very own Sebastian Fleet”. She adds that the festival has “something for all ages,” with events and workshops for children to teens and adults.
Big things are in store for future years, according to the festival board, comprised of volunteers who facilitate all of the planning, bookkeeping, fundraising, promoting and organizing.
Kikuichi says that they would like to incorporate “more mainstream authors while maintaining our literary component. We also want to build on our literacy initiative by enhancing our Story Time activities and Good Fit Book event”. Rosalyn added, “we are discussing next year the idea of bringing in a Chef who has a book published and include a local Chef to do a cooking class or demonstration. We also talked about doing something on pet care”.
Registration for events is open until the day of the event, but the workshops are filling up quickly. You may register online at foglit.com. Thanks to the support of sponsors and dedicated volunteers, all workshops and events at the Festival are free of charge.
For more information on the festival, their website, or Facebook page ‘Fog Lit Festival’. Events and workshops will continue from September 30 to October 4.
