The four-day North Shore Readers and Writers Festival, hosted by the Grand Marais Art Colony, takes place in Grand Marais, November 5-8. The festival is a biennial gathering held in Grand Marais to celebrate and promote the literary arts along the Shore. The term biennial refers to an event that occurs every two years.
The popular festival offers a diverse range of programming that is sure to excite and intrigue, including classes, workshops, author readings, panels, and community events providing a social space for attendees. There are multi-day intensive courses and shorter craft seminars on topics like novel writing, memoir, and creative nonfiction. Held in partnership with local organizations like the Grand Marais Public Library and Drury Lane Books, the festival aims to foster a strong literary community on Minnesota’s North Shore. A full schedule of events along with registration information may be found at grandmaraisartcolony.org.
In its website and social media posts, the Art Colony writes, “The North Shore Readers and Writers Festival celebrates, locates, and fosters the literary arts and engagement with the written word.”
The festival started in 2015 as a collaborative effort between the Grand Marais Art Colony, Drury Lane Bookstore, and the Grand Marais Public Library. It is designed to be a biennial event, taking place every other year, typically during the first week of November, a slower tourism season.
The festival distinguishes itself by bringing together not just writers and readers, but also book professionals and publishers. This enables a rich dialogue and offers opportunities for emerging authors to connect with the publishing community. Expect an exhibitors’ hall.
The 2021 event was adapted into a “Fantastic NonFest” with educational tracks and virtual classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival has a strong focus on Minnesota authors, featuring prominent writers from the state who lead classes and participate in events. Past keynote speakers have included notable authors such as Lorna Landvik, William Kent Krueger, and Leif Enger. Author and poet Sun Yung Shin will be teaching a two-day class entitled “Multi-genre Nature Writing.”
This year, the Art Colony expects to host up to 150 total participants during the festival. They write, “About two-thirds of our festival students identify themselves as emerging or established writers, and many are pursuing publishing and/or are interested in learning about publishing options.”
The festival has been shown to provide a significant economic boost to the Grand Marais community, increasing sales for local businesses, such as bookstores and restaurants and it is a testament to the power of literature in our community.
Funding for the festival includes grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Visit Cook County, and the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association.
All festival events are held in the various Art Colony studios in Grand Marais. Book professionals like agents and publishers are part of an exhibit hall and also participate in panel discussions. Associate Director at University of Minnesota Press, Emily Hamilton, will participate on the panel of book professionals entitled, “What We Are Looking For?” Senior Acquisitions Editor, Erik Anderson, will be a part of the evening discussion, “Writing the Wild Shore.”
Whether you just love books or you need a jump start for your writing, you’ll find much to like at The North Shore Readers and Writers Festival November 5-8. For more information and registration, go to grandmaraisartcolony.org or call 218-387-2737
