August 12th, 2026Celebrate our Festival opening & explore the Hub
As the countdown to Words in Winter 2026 enters its final stretch, excitement across Daylesford and Hepburn is palpable. In the next edition of The Local, you’ll find our single-page program grid, where you can check out every speaker, talk and ticketed event scheduled across our town’s iconic venues and plan your festival journey. But before the main stage spotlights turn on, we want to invite you to the heart and soul of the celebration: our Festival Opening and Festival Hub.
There is no better way to launch the festivities than together, on Djaara country. Our official Festival opening kicks off on Wednesday, August 26 from 5pm to 6.30pm at the Daylesford Town Hall. The event features a Welcome to Country from Aunty Alison McRae, alongside student readings from Daylesford Secondary College, live music from the Daylesford College Jazz Band and The Honeytones Choir, pictured above, and our Hall of Fame induction. It is completely free, family-friendly and open to all. Consider this your personal invitation to come down, meet the creative minds behind the festival and officially kick start the festival.
The celebration continues over the weekend and right in the heart of town at the Festival Hub. Located in the Town Hall, the Hub is designed as a warm, welcoming home base where readers, locals, and visitors gather to connect, create and celebrate.
The Hub will be open during the opening event on Wednesday evening, and throughout Saturday and Sunday from 9.30am to 4.30pm with free entry.
Whether you are looking for a quiet moment between events or a place to inspire young minds, the Hub is packed with drop-in community activities all weekend long. You can participate in The Community Book Swap by bringing a pre-loved book to swap for a new treasure or stop by The Society of Silent Readers Nook and settle in for a quiet chapter. The Festival Hub also celebrates local talent with our Curiouser Creations Schools and U3A Exhibition, alongside an interactive typewriter station where you can contribute to The Unstable Draft.
Young readers and aspiring writers are equally catered for, with storytime sessions featuring Dee White and Michelle Pleasance, plus writing workshops led by Emma Gourlay and Stuart Orr.
Tickets for the full program are selling fast, so now is the time to explore the full line-up, book tickets and plan your festival weekend at www.wordsinwinter.com.
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our front-page feature and one-page program grid in the next edition. In the meantime, you can pick up a printed program from Paradise Bookshop, Daylesford Library or the Daylesford Regional Visitor Information Centre. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
The Local is a proud media partner of WIW.
