Festival expands to embrace all arts
The Ramsgate Literary Festival will now be known as the Ramsgate Book and Art Festival.
It has a new name and a new direction but the Ramsgate Book and Art Festival will be an expanded version of the same vibey, colourful and community-driven event it was when it was simply called the Ramsgate Literary Festival.
Organised by the Ramsgate Conservancy and Ugu South Coast Tourism’s Ramsgate Area Committee, the festival will take place in various venues along the main road in Ramsgate as well as surrounding areas and the Ramsgate Whale Deck from Friday, November 10 until Sunday, November 12.
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It has been held to provide a platform for literature, art and craft, dance and music.
Ramsgate and the rest of the South Coast has long had an artistic flair. Some of the greatest names in both classical and contemporary South African art hail from the area. WH Coetzer, Errol Boyley, Walter Battiss and Titta Fasciotti are but a few names synonymous with the South Coast and who serve as rich inspiration for various art forms in this region.
Participating venues for this year’s festival include the Ramsgate Whale Deck Enviro Centre, Artists’ Gallery, Riverbend Art Gallery, Gaze Gallery at The Waffle House, Crayfish Inn, Lobster Pot, the Burlesque Café, Tinker’s Den and various small businesses in the area.
The literati will be able to meet and greet national and local authors, attend readings, talks, creative writing workshops and youth poetry performances, as well as get signed and second-hand books. Children will be entertained through storytelling and educated about the environment at the Ramsgate Whale Deck.
Local artwork, knitting and beadwork will be displayed and, for aspiring artists there will be an art class. A supper theatre evening will showcase local musical talent.
More entertainment will be provided by a local student band, rural dance group and fire dancers.
Food, an art on its own, will feature strongly with some of the best-loved restaurants on the South Coast, situated in Ramsgate, adding to the arty village experience during the festival. You will be able to sample craft beer, wine, great coffee, afternoon tea, local restaurants’ fare or street food.
Learn more about the area, while doing your bit for the environment, by walking the Ramsgate Marine Ramble on a clean-up mission with the WIN Walk environmental group. Raffles, lucky draws and fund-raisers will add top the fun.
Pupils of all ages are invited to take part in the Ramsgate Book and Art Festival by either reciting or dramatising a poem or submitting one to three original poems for publication in this year’s book. Entries for participation in both options should be emailed to shefasolutions@gmail.com, with the poetry submissions attracting a R30 fee, which will go towards printing costs.
All festival goers will be asked to donate a book, as part of their entry, for the Charity Book Box.
For more information contact Peter Kilian, the Ramsgate area committee chairman at phkilian@netactive.co.za, Pauline Lee at pauline@wafflehouse.co.za or Barbie Meyer at barbie.meyer68@gmail.com.
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