KNYSNA NEWS - The third annual Knysna Literary Festival was a resounding success with such record-breaking ticket sales that at the wildly popular talk of investigative radio journalist, Mandy Wiener (author of Killing Kebble), at least thirty people were jamming to get into the already packed venue.

As the first event of the three day-festival, this breakfast talk at Savannah Café set the tone for what was to be a highly entertaining itinerary where everybody thoroughly enjoyed the quality time they got to spend interacting with various authors and celebrity Ryk Neethling.

Remembering that first morning's mad dash, event organiser Sasha Campbell came through with flying colours: "Mandy was a total hit - what a dynamic lady! Killing Kebble sold out with 100 guests and another 30 people arriving last minute, so a bit of a mad chase, but Ricky and his team at Savannah Cafe pulled it off perfectly. Feedback has been amazing!"

Founder of the Knysna Literary Festival, the ever-efficient Ling Dobson, can certainly congratulate her team on a job excellently done: "It is indeed with pride that we, Pam Golding Knysna, look back at last weekend's festival.
 
All the events were hugely successful and attendance at a maximum - we made the 'right' choice of speakers and workshops. The authors were very involved and have been very complimentary regarding their involvement and the public response and have expressed interest in future events again."

Young Writers Competition
Comments Ling Dobson: "It was inspiring and exciting to see the participation from the students. Interacting with the students at the prize-giving on Friday at the Knysna Mall was rewarding. I have just this morning (Wednesday, May 2) spoken to the parent of one of the winners who thanked Pam Golding Properties for getting the community involved. I was so impressed and moved with the calibre of the winners' poems and stories."

On Friday evening, April 27, the animated Rob Caskie in a booming voice transported his riveted audience back to the Anglo-Zulu battlefields of Isandiwana in one spectacular oral feat in a truly unforgettable narration of facts - practically causing listeners to dodge flying assegai! This was a history presentation unlike anything one had heard before, and as Caskie was sold out with a hundred booked seats, the venue will simply have to be bigger next year. The organisers had to turn away 45 others still wanting to attend.

On Saturday morning, April 28, nearly 300 children and their parents attended the National Children's Theatre's African Tapestry at Knysna Primary School.

Explains Campbell: "Thanks to sponsorship from FNB, BOE, Allsound, Leisure Isle Gallery, Volkswagen, Protea Hotel, as well as the Koch and Vosloo families we managed to get over a 130 Safe House children, ePap-children, as well as kids from soup kitchens to come and enjoy the show."

By the time the Crime Workshop with authors Mike Nicol, Margie Orford and Michael Stanley came around, the Literary Festival was in such a swing that it became clear to the organisers that 'litfest groupies' were merrily meandering from one event to the next, paranoid they might miss out on yet another great author.

Happily exhausted, the main part of the festival culminated in the Delicious Word Journey where 60 guests journeyed by taxi to different lavish homes on Pezula estate, dining on a menu of creative snacks, good wine, poetry, more book talks and Ryk Neethling. (Unconfirmed rumours are being investigated that one group of exceptionally persuasive ladies did manage to get him to flash his six-pack.)

Beneficiaries
The two beneficiaries of the Knysna Literary Festival were TSiBA Education and e'Pap Children's Feeding Project.
"TSiBA Eden is honoured to have been selected as a beneficiary of a prestigious and innovative event such as the 2012 Knysna Literary Festival and is always keen to partner with organisations like Pam Golding, whose aim it is to uplift the region and bring a broader awareness of the Garden Route's unique offering," said Suzi Cinderey.

All of the e'Pap volunteers who were involved thoroughly enjoyed their participation.

"We met some interesting people, made some new contacts and gained some additional donors. Perhaps we will be able to assist others to help nourish children in their areas too. Many thanks for giving us the opportunity of being one of the beneficiaries and of being involved in an interesting weekend.

We look forward to participating again next year where things will be even better. It really was a well-organised, 'top drawer' event," felt Shelley Godsell.

Hearing what the audience wants
According to Campbell this event has taken over four months of planning, with plenty of brainstorming and "roundtable discussions. "Therefore the attention to detail has been vital to make this a successful event, but most importantly I've wanted to have fun putting this event together and the basis of the program, was on what we think would be interesting and fun to attend as a Literary Festival."

As with any such a huge endeavour, she admits there was a lot of last minute running around "and panic as the initial ticket sales were incredibly slow". So it was back to the drawing room for the organisers and talking to associations such as U3A on what would make people want to attend.

"The general consensus, was that people loved the programme, but it was too expensive - so we decided to drop the price and make personal calls to book clubs, associations, friends and family and within three weeks, we were nearly sold out for every event!"

The future
Rob Caskie is already booked for March 22-24, 2013 to talk on Rorke's Drift and possibly the Shackleton Antarctic Expedition. Several companies, including Ryk Neethling's wine estate, Val de Vie, has also indicated that they would be interested in coming on board for next year's festival.

CEO of Knysna Tourism, Shaun Van Eck, who attended the Delicious Word Journey was notable impressed. "I think the fest was brilliant! Compact, high quality and with loads of potential. So glad the functions sold so well. The 'Journey' is my favourite on the programme - I think this could run for three sessions, with at least one over lunch-time. Great, unique format with lots of legs."


From the left, Jessica Kane, Bev and Shaun van Eck with their group enjoying the company of Olympic swimmer, Ryk Neethling, at one of the stunning Pezula homes. (Photo: Elle Photography.)

ARTICLE: ANOESCHKA VON MECK, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST