September 12th, 2025Words in Winter wraps up for another year

The 2025 Words in Winter festival has wrapped up, leaving the region buzzing with energy and cementing its status as a monumental success.
The festival opened in spectacular fashion with a Welcome to Country by Djaara Elder Aunty Sandra Barber, moving readings from Daylesford Secondary College students, and beautiful performances by The Honey Tones choir.
The evening also saw the emotional induction of ceramicist Petrus Spronk and community pillar David Hall, pictured bottom middle, into the festival’s Hall of Fame, honouring their immense contributions to our local arts landscape.
This year’s expanded program, spanning two weekends, saw record attendance as locals and visitors flocked to experience the theme of Light in the Dark.

The festival was marked by several sold-out events that created an incredible buzz, including the powerful play reading of Big Beautiful Female Theory at the Daylesford Hotel. Audiences also packed venues for the deeply impactful Understanding Palestine with Yousef Alreemawi and Toby Sime’s fiery analysis of T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland.

Beyond the brilliant words and performances, the festival’s success was felt deeply by our local community. Nightly events dazzled attendees, from the swishy, fun-filled Gala complete with literary karaoke to the profoundly moving Better Off Said salon with Emilie Zoey Baker and Marieke Hardy, which moved effortlessly between tears and laughter.
As the final chapter closes on this year’s event, the overwhelming feeling is one of pride for what our community has created together and eager anticipation for what will come next.

Words: Festival producer Devon Taylor | Images: Words in Winter Festival