More than 8000 visitors streamed into Featherston over the weekend to enjoy what might have been the biggest Booktown Festival yet. The town was transformed into a readers’ utopia, with bookseller stalls, readings, talks, workshops, food trucks, and more. Kicking off with the famous Fish n Chip Supper on Friday night, the weekend boasted a diverse programme of events with 104 speakers, including filmmaker Gaylene Preston, beer brewing pioneer Richard Emerson, poet laureate Chris Tse, and investigative journalist Guyon Espiner. Operations manager Mary Biggs said there was a significant increase in ticket sales compared to last year’s event, and the booksellers were “brimming” with excitement. “I’ve heard nothing but praise and positive feedback for the writers, and the over 100 volunteers, who were sensational.”
Booktown goes big
This year’s Featherston Booktown was the biggest festival since it started eight years ago.
