July 17th, 2025Words in Winter 2025 – Light in the Dark
With a remarkable line-up of local and visiting authors, and supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, tickets for Words in Winter 2025 are now available – and if last year is anything to go by, tickets (many free or low cost) will be snapped up in no time.
This year the treasured event, which started more than 24 years ago, features an eclectic mix of authors, performances, readings and music and showcases the amazing group of residents who devote hours into bringing words, ideas, and stories to life.
Held across two weekends (main festival weekend August 22-24, encore weekend: August 29-31) this year’s event Light in the Dark, celebrates the town’s literary and musical talent, welcomes revered authors from across the country and offers space for courageous discussion, literary discovery, and the importance of celebrating stories, community and creativity.
This year events will be held across a number of venues including Hotel Bellinzona, Radius Art, Daylesford Hotel, Paradise Bookshop, Stony Creek Gallery, Daylesford Library, Yandoit Cultural Centre and Spade to Blade.
The original founders, stalwart David Hall and his late wife Lorelle, had a vision to connect people through words and literature during the winter months. They could never have imagined the evolution of Words in Winter which has gained recognition Australia-wide as a significant event on the literary calendar.
As a fitting tribute, David Hall and Petrus Spronk will be inducted into the inaugural Words in Winter Hall of Fame at the festival launch at Radius Art on Friday, August 22. Local choir the HoneyTones will kick off the festival with winter-inspired harmonies alongside readings from Daylesford Secondary College students.
Performances by well-known locals Toby Sime, Trevor Shard and Petrus Sponk, as well as newer voices including Shele Parker Black and Lu Sexton, will highlight the diverse local talent pool.
Writers from across Australia will join homegrown talent for intimate discussions, poetry pop ups where multilingual readings will take place in unexpected settings, and author workshops that will provide a personal deep dive into storytelling craft.
Family highlights across the festival weekends include local authors Kate Foulds and Claire Clifton and visiting author Julie Murphey for storytime at the Daylesford Library. Craft activities, a comic workshop and the School Writing Awards will all feature across the festival with Daylesford’s own Family Farm Band also in the line-up.
The all-local festival team includes program curators Lu Sexton, Rebecca Lister and Heather Robinson and Hepburn’s Devon Taylor as festival producer. This passionate team, including youth representatives Sasha Taylor-Holmes and Ruby Middleton-West, devotes hundreds of hours year-round to create a festival line-up unique to Words in Winter.
“Having locals shape every aspect – from our school programs to the Conversation Hub – ensures the festival reflects what our region cares about. Even while hosting national stars like Tony Birch and Marieke Hardy, its heart remains firmly local, with volunteers from across our towns creating spaces where stories spark”, Devon said.
Pick up a printed program from Paradise Bookshop or from the festival program pull-out edition of The Local on August 11 (online from August 10 at tlnews.com.au
Tickets on sale now at www.wordsinwinter.com
Festival Highlight
Words in Winter Gala, hosted at the glorious Hotel Bellinzona on Saturday, August 23 from 6.30pm-11pm, will feature music by Late Night Radio, On the Couch with Beck Lister with guests novelist and essayist Tony Birch (Women & Children), author and journalist Jenny Valentish (The Introvert’s Guide to Leaving the House), and musician, writer, and disability advocate Eliza Hull (Running Underwater). Tickets are available for dinner and the show, or the show only. Book fast – this is guaranteed to sell out.
