Events Sell Out Before Writers' Festival Opens

Auckland Writers' Festival Events Sell Out Before Festival Opens

The third Auckland Writers' Festival starts tomorrow, Friday 25th May, and eight events have already sold out.

"This is unprecedented," says Festival co-founder Peter Wells. "We expected to sell out of maybe a couple of events, but to sell out of eight before the Festival begins is fantastic."

The sold out events include the Festival finale, the black tie Buddle Findlay Sargeson dinner on Sunday night, where Naomi Wolf is the guest speaker. She is also appearing at the sold out "Girls' Night Out On The Town" with Jane Smiley, Sarah Waters, Patricia Grace and Festival co-founder Stephanie Johnson.

"What's also wonderful to see is that it's not just the big international names who people want to come and hear," says Wells.

There are no tickets left to the rehearsed reading of Albert Wendt's new play, The Songmaker's Chair; "Lone Kauri: An Hour with Allen Curnow"; "Spiels and Reels" with Joanne Harris, Richard Flanagan, Stephen Sinclair and Hester Joyce; "Yin Eyes: An Hour with Amy Tan"; "The Tender Trap: Love and Therapy", and "Sky People: An Hour with Patricia Grace".

Tickets are selling fast for many of the other events, with "Secret Museums and Curiosity Shops" and "Chocolates, Chopsticks and Neck chops" having less than 20 tickets available.

"We also sold out of our two pre-Festival workshops, one on writing a novel and the other on bookbinding, which shows there's a big demand for the hands-on practical events as well as the discussion sessions," says Wells.

The Auckland Writers' Festival is being held at the Hyatt Regency and Old Government House on 25th-27th May with 12 international authors and 80 New Zealand writers. The Festival sponsors include NZ Herald, Lion Foundation, Buddle Findlay, Creative NZ and Hyatt Regency Auckland.

Issued on behalf of the Auckland Writers' Festival by Professional Public Relations

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