Somerset Storyfest

STORYFEST RETURNS WITH EXCITING LINEUP OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND GUESTS INCLUDING POPULAR CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINER EMMA MEMMA

Author sessions, book launches, workshops, panels and special events from 25 to 27 March across the Gold Coast

Attention all bookworms, avid readers and aspiring writers: The highly anticipated Storyfest returns to the Gold Coast next month to celebrate the power of storytelling with an action-packed lineup of authors, workshops, panels and family-friendly community events.

Held from 25 to 27 March, Somerset Storyfest will bring together over 40 of the nation’s most acclaimed authors, illustrators and artists to the Gold Coast for a host of special events, book launches, workshops, celebrations and author sessions.

The much loved festival stands as the city’s only dedicated writers’ festival and the country’s largest youth literature festival, giving people of all ages the opportunity to bring their imaginations to life, immerse themselves in stories and uncover some of Australia’s best storytellers while being inspired and entertained throughout the week.

Some of the special guests headlining the 2024 festival include Chloe Dalton, one of Australia’s few triple sport athletes and author of Girls Don’t Play Sport and The A to Z of Who I Could Be; Caleb Finn, Australia’s most-followed male content creator and creator of scary short stories and shorts; Will Kostakis, award-winning author for young adult books including The Sidekicks and Rebel Gods; and Lucas Proudfoot, one of Australia’s most dynamic children entertainers, plus many more.

Celebrating its 31st year, Storyfest will kick off with its annual Prologue Party on Monday 25 March from 5:30pm, featuring a spectacular firework display, food trucks, a grand parade, live music and the chance to rub shoulders with some of Australia’s best authors and illustrators.

The Prologue Party will also see much-loved special guest Emma Memma (former Yellow member of The Wiggles) take to the stage this year, delighting audiences with an entertaining performance from 6:15pm and meet and greets throughout the afternoon and into the evening.

Other special events include annual Literary Lunch with special guest Marina Kamenev (former deputy arts editor of the Moscow Times) on Tuesday 26 March at 12:30pm where she will discuss her new book Kin, which explores the changing shape of family in the 21st century.

Additionally, the annual Craig Bassingthwaite Long Table event will return on Tuesday 26 March at 5:30pm featuring special guest Hannah Kent who is a prolific author and screenwriter, with many accolades to her name. Hannah Kent is the creator of Netflix film Run Rabbit starring Sarah Snook, as well as books such as The Good People and Burial Rites.

In what will be a first for the festival, this year a brand new event will come to Storyfest with the launch of Gran Slam Live! on Tuesday 26 March. The unique event is sure to entertain audiences as it brings together an unlikely collective of razor-sharp teenagers and seniors who will mic drop their hot-off-the-press poems and battle it out to a lively audience.

The slam poetry event will be hosted by award-winning performance poet, Joel McKerrow and internationally renowned sound bending beatboxer, Tom Thum.

With hundreds of author sessions taking place across the three days, plus community events to spark the imaginative minds of avid writers, the 31st annual Somerset Storyfest is set to be a fantastic addition to the Gold Coast calendar of events in March.

Tickets are now on sale. For more information about the festival program and event details please visit storyfest.com.au.

Full program can be found here – 2024 Storyfest Program