If you’re looking for me, don’t look here—
1— Eden Mills Writers’ Festival. I can hardly discuss this, so disappointed am I to be missing it. I was especially looking forward to hearing Karen Connelly, Dionne Brand, et [so many] al, as well as Kerry Clare who’ll be reading at the Fringe Stage. I read there myself in 2008 (aka the ‘wet year’) and it’s an absolute favourite part of the event for me. Not the rain, but the Fringe.
2— Thin Air, Winnipeg’s annual writers’ festival. Have I mentioned that I love Winnipeg? I’ve only been once. It was a September, the season between mosquitos and winter. I attended Thin Air, saw the masonic weirdness and beauty of the Legislative Building (built in the geographic centre of North America), had a few ‘nips’ on the Red, was happily surprised by the local foodie culture, the theatre, the commitment to the environment, the largest collection—stunning—of Inuit carvings in the world. And this is just what I remember without really trying.
3— Words Alive Literary Festival. Have never gone; am very curious.
4— Peterborough Arts Week. Just because I love Peterborough.
4— Garlic Festival, Stratford. Sigh.
~
All of this due to my knee. (Well, okay, the Winnipeg thing wasn’t going to happen even if I hadn’t mucked up my leg…)
But to anyone who does attend any of the above, detailed reports will be welcome. Vicarious travel is the next best thing to being there…
Matilda Magtree 
So disappointed you won’t be at Eden Mills…I am still hoping to go myself though it’s not looking great right now…
But I did go to the Garlic Festival! (admittedly easier for me to get to than for you as I do live VERY close by) Just got home with a bag full of jams and fudge and reeking of garlic ;) It’s getting bigger & better every year – maybe you’ll make it next year. I tried: garlic fudge (actually yummy), garlic & vanilla tea, garlic peanut brittle, pickled garlic scapes, garlic rosemary jelly, and had a hot samosa for lunch with spicy sauce. So crowded, and a band playing at one end, and Elizabeth Baird & Rose Murray speaking at the other. All worth it even if it did start to rain a bit. Is that enough vicarious detail? :)
I LOVE garlic but I can’t (really can’t) imagine garlic fudge… I would, of course, buy some! Garlic and vanilla tea… now that actually sounds good. And the rosemary jelly. In fact the whole festival sounds great. Thanks for giving me such a delicious glimpse of things!
(Mmmm, hot samosa with spicy sauce — I just had breakfast and I’m hungry again already…)