Māpua Literary Festival 2025 "Love, Lies & Legacy"

This is a boutique literary festival with a local feel, held in Māpua and all ticket sales will benefit the Māpua Community Library. This year's event will be organised by volunteers from the library and will feature local writers from Tasman, Golden Bay, Wellington and Auckland. The theme this year is Love, Lies & Legacy.

Authors include: Gerard Hindmarsh, Michael Bennett, Stef Harris, Tom Rowling, Erin Palmisano, Olive Jones, Anna Riedel, Kerry Sutherland, Bruce Cole, Jennifer Hassloch and Jenny Pattrick.

Register for 3 author sessions and get the 4th free

Conversationalists: Adrienne Taylor, Chris Stuart, Steve Henry, Kerry Sutherland, Liz Price and  Elaine Fisher

The event starts with a performance of the one woman show " Red Heavens" by Martine Baanvinger.  Red Heavens portrays the true story of Angelina Moleta, a pioneering Italian immigrant whose fate is intertwined with the forces of nature, a bitter family feud and her deep connection with Wetekia Ruruku Elkington, a high-born Māori woman. This dynamic play is inspired by the book Angelina by New Zealand author Gerard Hindmarsh

Two exciting workshops run by Wendy Scott :  "Character Creation" Dive into the art of creating characters that leap off the page with personality and depth. Experiment with techniques to make your characters relatable and engaging.

"Tangled Hearts and Hidden Truths" a creative writing journey.  Ready to unleash your creativity ? In this inspiring workshop, we'll dive into the tangled emotions of love, the drama of deception, and the mark we leave behind. Through fun prompts and guided exercises, you’ll craft unforgettable characters and stories that stir the heart and spark the imagination. Perfect for beginners and seasoned writers alike!

There will also be a short story competiton open for all age groups:

Children (Year 6-8) prize $50; maximum 500 words

Young Adult (Year 9-13) price $100; maximum 1000 words

Adult (over 18 years) prize $200; maximum 1000 words

Details on our website at http://mapuacommunitylibrary.com