Apollo Bay WORDfest 2025

Next date: Friday, 25 July 2025 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM

An impressive array of Australian Authors will make their way to Apollo Bay on the last weekend of July for the annual Apollo Bay WORDfest, a celebration of literature in all its many forms.

Real and Imagined is the theme for this year’s event, which is bound to inspire and enlighten readers and writers of all ages. 

Award winning Anglesea author Mark Smith will discuss his latest psychological thriller Three Boys Gone and leads an impressive and dynamic line-up of speakers, including Jock Serong (Cherrywood), Kylie Ladd (The Mix Up), Maggie Mackellar (Graft) Lia Hills (The Desert Knows her name) Rachel Morton (The Sun was Electric Light) Tracey Spicer (Man-Made) and Kate Mildenhall (The Hummingbird Effect).

WordSmart Kid’s day kick starts the celebration of books on Friday 25th of July at the Community Hall, followed by Poetry and Pies in the evening at the Mechanics Hall. 

A jam packed Saturday 26th July will showcase our authors in three panel discussions at the Mechanics Hall, while Saturday evening’s Great De(Bay)te returns with new teams that will entertain with their quick wit and wisdom!

The program rounds out on Sunday 27th July with a Writers Workshop at Marrar Woorn Neighbourhood House and Bookclub event at the Apollo Bay Library.

The short story competition returns for junior and open ages, while WORDfest partner Great Ocean Reads Bookstore will be fully stocked and have a pop-up store at the Mechanics hall with novels by all authors for signings. 

 

When

Location

Apollo Bay Mechanics Hall (main venue), 21 Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, 3233, View Map