Sorrento Writers Festival

Overview

Before Melbourne Writers Festival kicks off its 2024 program in May, locals can get a headstart on the literary goodness with a little jaunt down the coast. The Sorrento Writers Festival is hitting the Mornington Peninsula for its second year, from Thursday, April 25–Sunday, April 28, complete with some big-name guests in tow.

On the bill are more than 100 events celebrating words and ideas, taking place at venues across Sorrento and Portsea. Among them, catch talks from Miles Franklin Award winners Alex Miller, Anna Funder and Amanda Lohrey and hear from internationally-renowned bioethicist and philosopher Peter Singer as he chats with Michael Cathcart about social reform and education.

Elsewhere, there'll be thought-provoking panels and discussions diving into topics like First Nations stories, climate change's impact on the regions, Aussie politics in 2024, migration, war (the festival will run on ANZAC Day) and the art of memoir writing.

Also taking the stage: commentators and journalists Nick McKenzie, Hedley Thomas, Laura Tingle, John Silvester, Nick Savva, Greg Sheridan and Caroline Wilson — to name a few — as well as 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, and the legend Magda Szubanski.

Tickets to individual events will be going for $30 a pop, and day passes will set you back $130 per person. These passes include access to all the experiences running on the day you choose to attend, except for the seven special events running throughout the festival.