Storytellers Festival
29 October 2023 - bringing you to the heart of the story
This year, The Literature Centre’s free family Storytellers Festival will be held at the Fremantle Town Hall at Walyalup Koort, the heart of Fremantle, on Sunday 29 October from 10 am to 5 pm.
The festival is FREE for all ages to enjoy and will bring you to the heart of the story.
This year the festival features a truly outstanding artist line-up, including: internationally best-selling fantasy author, C.S. Pacat; world-renowned picture book author and illustrator, Frané Lessac; accomplished Noongar artist and designer, Tyrown Waigana; award-winning childrens’ and YA author, Sue Whiting; dynamic visual storyteller and science communicator, Aśka; talented queer, disabled, author and speaker, Jessica Walton; Fremantle's own superstar author/illustrator, Briony Stewart; captivating journalist, podcaster and children’s author, Chenée Marrapodi; not-to-be-missed Drag Queen storyteller, PRISM; and history hunter and award-winning author, Mark Greenwood.
As well as main stage events and author book signings, grab your seats for creative learning workshops, interactive presentations, and practical skill-building sessions, covering a range of storytelling platforms including books, podcasting, visual arts workshops and learning some words in Noongar.
Grab a copy of new-release books from Paper Bird's popup bookshop in the Town Hall foyer and have them personally signed by your favourite authors and artists!
Bookings are recommended and are available to reserve online via Eventbrite. Please present your Eventbrite tickets on the day (either printed or on your mobile phone). Parents are required to remain onsite with their children.
Storytellers Festival is proudly brought to you by The Literature Centre: Bringing you to the heart of the story. The Literature Centre acknowledges the traditional owners and original storytellers of Country throughout Western Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. It is a privilege to live and work in Walyalup on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar.
We would like to thank event sponsors Lotterywest, the City of Fremantle, and the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries for their generous support that enables this free, community event to continue.
Reserve Tickets
Download Festival Program & Map
10 am | Welcome to Country and Festival Opening
Town Hall Main Stage
This is a free event for all ages and it runs from 10:00 am to 10:15 am.
10:15 am | Heroes, Villains, and the Inbetween with C.S. Pacat
Town Hall Main Stage
Kick off a celebration of story with a world famous fantasy storyteller whose imagination takes us beyond our understanding of what it traditionally means to be a hero or a villain. C.S. Pacat will talk about what inspires her to write and inspire you to dig deep and create from your own experience. C.S. Pacat is the New York Times and USA-Today best-selling author of Dark Rise, the Captive Prince trilogy, and the GLAAD-nominated graphic novels Fence, as well as a writer for DC Comics.
This is a free event for ages 10+ and it runs from 10:15 am to 11:00 am.
11:00 am | Noongar Boodja Waangkan with Tyrown Waigana
Town Hall - on the rug (go to the back of the auditorium)
Join Noongar artist Tyrown Waigana for an illustration workshop inspired by connection to Noongar language and culture. A practical and interactive session with drawing, stories and words. Tyrown is co- author and illustrator with Jayden Boundry of the Fremantle Press-published Noongar Boodja Waagkan: Noongar First Words.
This is a free workshop recommended for ages 5+ and it runs from 11:00 am to 11:45 am.
11:00 am | Places You Never Imagined with Frané Lessac and Briony Stewart
Town Hall Main Stage
Join the dynamic duo of award winning picture book authors and illustrators, Frané Lessac and Briony Stewart, for an interactive session on storytelling with pictures inspired by places to travel to in your imagination. Frané has created illustrations for more than fifty books, and Briony is not far behind with twenty-plus books and counting.
This is a free workshop recommended for ages 5+ and it runs from 11:00 am to 11:45 am.
11:45 am - 12:00 pm | Book buying and author signings
12:00 pm | Solving the Story Puzzle with Sue Whiting
Town Hall on the rug - go to the back of the auditorium
Join Sue Whiting, award-winning children’s and YA author, for an interactive and exciting workshop on story writing. Sue will inspire you with elements of a story, leaving you to solve a puzzle and create a full story with your own imagination.
This free workshop is recommended for ages 8+ and it runs from 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm.
12:00 pm | Hunting History - The Search for Moondyne Joe and Other Curious Characters with Mark Greenwood
Town Hall Main Stage
Mark Greenwood is an award-winning author and self-confessed history hunter. He enjoys searching for glittering treasures and delving into history mysteries. Join Mark for an inspiring writing workshop where he invites you to meet the legendary bushranger, Moondyne Joe, and other curious characters from his books. Learn how to transform your ideas into story gold.
This workshop is recommended for ages 8+ and it runs from 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm.
12:45 am - 1:30 pm | Lunch break, book buying and author signings
1:30 pm | Drag Queen Storytime with PRISM
Town Hall Main Stage
Meet & Greet PRISM for Drag Queen Storytime, with readings from some of her favourite storybooks, free photographs, interactions and light energies with the last celestial being in the universe, PRISM!
This is a free event for all ages and it runs from 1:30 pm to 2:15 pm.
2:15 pm | Stars in their Eyes with Jessica Walton and Aśka
Town Hall Main Stage
Jessica Walton is a queer, disabled writer and speaker. Aśka is a visual storyteller and science communicator. Together they are the co-creators of the YA graphic novel Stars in their Eyes, included on the 2022 Children’s Book Council Notables list. Learn about the inspiration behind this beautiful story and their process of working together to create magic.
This is a free event recommended for ages 10+ and it runs from 2:15 pm to 3:00 pm.
3 pm | From Podcasting to Pirouettes with Chenée Marrapodi
Town Hall Main Stage
Join podcaster and writer Chenée Marrapodi to talk about her journey from journalist to children's author. Chenée is the author of One Wrong Turn, a middle-grade book set in the competitive world of ballet. Chenée will talk about dancing with words and may even get you up on your feet doing some ballet.
This is a free event recommended for ages 8+ and it runs from 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm.
3:45 pm | The Book Quiz with Chenée Marrapodi, Sue Whiting, Briony Stewart, Jessica Walton, Aśka, C.S. Pacat, Frané Lessac and Tyrown Waigana
Town Hall Main Stage
In a fun close to the day, get to know our featured artists and storytellers a little more as we test their knowledge and yours on some of Australia’s and the world’s best loved stories for young people and not so young people. Hosted by Chenée Marrapodi, with book prizes for book lovers and a surprise special guest.
This is a free event for all ages and it runs from 3:45 pm to 4:30 pm.
4:30 pm - 5 pm | Book buying and author signings