The annual Alice Munro Festival is kicking off today, as budding authors from around the region converge on Bayfield and Wingham.
North Huron Councillor Yolanda Ritsema-Teeninga, who sits on the Festival committee, says the 2-day event will feature some great things during today's opener in Bayfield.
"There is author readings, master classes, there's a lunch with an author reading with Madeleine Thien. There is the author panel in the afternoon, which has Emma Donoghue, Sarah Meehan Sirk and Casey Plett on it."
Today's events are in Bayfield at the Town Hall and library. Passes are all sold out but individual tickets for some panels are still available at the Blyth Festival Box Office. Ritsema-Teeninga says that tomorrow's events in Wingham will feature some interesting things around the history of Alice Munro.
"There will be a guided walking tour of Alice Munro sights around Wingham itself starting at 10 am. There's an author reading and masterclass again, there's our short story award luncheon where Madeleine Thien will be doing the keynote. We will also present the short story contest winners with their awards."
Ritsema-Teeninga also says the annual event is a special way to celebrate Munro and her roots in the area.
"Alice really is a pioneer of women authors in this country. As the Nobel Prize winner in 2013, and even before then, she was such a huge household name, and she really paved the way, and it's a great way for us to pay tribute to her and her work here with our festival."