British Columbia Destinations

Sunshine Coast is site of long-running lit fest

By Heather Andrews Miller

Photo by Dannielle Hayes-Tourism BC

Plan now to be on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast this August 9 to 12 for the 25th annual Festival of the Written Arts. Canada's longest running summer gathering of Canadian writers and readers, this year’s edition continues the tradition of featuring established award-winning authors, television producers, editors and columnists who will share their secrets with emerging writers from across Canada.

Among the guests expected this year is Lorne Elliott, a storyteller who is also known to CBC audiences for his comic routines, guitar presentations, and a shock of outrageous hair. John Bishop is a high profile restaurateur who has written delightful cookbooks. Ami McKay is a best selling author of historical fiction who has appeared on Oprah. Blanche Howard, a novelist whose best friend was the late Carol Shields, shares 25 years of correspondence which illustrates the evolution of the writing careers of the two women, and her workshop will open the festival on Thursday evening, August 9.

The four-day event, which receives partial funding through the Canadian government’s Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the BC Arts Council, also features a traditional wild Pacific salmon barbecue and a summer crafts fair.

Writers will enjoy many opportunities to mingle amidst the heritage gardens at the Rockwood Centre at Sechelt where the Festival is held or enjoy many recreation opportunities and unique shopping adventures during their stay.

The festival began on August 3, 1983, when the SunCoast Writers’ Forge, with great ambitions and a contrastingly tiny budget, launched the first Festival of the Written Arts at the Arts Centre in Sechelt.

Despite a financial shortfall that year, the event was continued. Relocation to larger quarters, an increased budget, and attendance by luminaries such as W.O. Mitchell, Peter Gzowski and John Gray firmly established the festival, which has a longstanding tradition of presenting only Canadian writers, editors and publishers.

Soon the number of attendees made it possible and necessary to find a still larger, permanent home and Rockwood Centre, just west of Sechelt village, was the solution. Set in an acre of rhododendrons, magnolias and evergreens, it provides quiet seclusion despite being only five minutes from the shops and seashore. A 465-seat pavilion, constructed entirely of BC fir and cedar and completed in 1989, nestles into the hillside to take advantage of the natural slope and provides an inspiring setting among towering trees.

No visit to the Sunshine Coast would be complete without enjoying some of the many outdoor recreation opportunities. Visitors can participate in sea kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, hiking, fresh and saltwater fishing, beachcombing, and air or boat tours to such glorious destinations as the Skookumchuck Rapids or Princess Louisa Inlet.

In addition to Sechelt, other communities include Gibsons Landing, Halfmoon Bay, Secret Cove, Pender Harbour and other small but lively villages. Shopping can’t be beat as the coast offers a surprisingly diverse and eclectic shopping selection, especially for visitors looking to take home a little special something from their visit. Highway 101 takes visitors from one end of the Sunshine Coast to the other and treats its travellers to beautiful scenery.

Though the economy of the area is largely resource-related - such as forestry, fishing and mining - a growing arts community is present as well. Theatre groups, dance troupes, potters, sculptors, painters and other artisans work along the 86-kilometre coast. Music is also a strong component of life on the Sunshine Coast, from formal classical recitals to funky drumming sessions and several musical festivals and series are held throughout the year.

More information about the Festival of the Written Arts is available at www.writersfestival.ca or by calling 1-800-565-9631 and Sunshine Coast tourism information can be found at www.bigpacific.com .