July 15, 2019. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Readers' Festival.

Port Medway is a tiny town yet every summer they host a Readers' Festival. For the authors, it evidently had become trendy so they are willing and eager to come for the event. I am always astonished at the quality of the authors who come and participate. The routine never varies. Three authors each summer are invited, one at a time. The event is held in The Old Meeting House, built in 1832, which itself is charming. The author speaks about their work, then reads from their latest book, followed by 20 minutes of questions. Finally we troop down to the fire hall, where the ladies of the volunteer fire brigade provide a lunch. The author will sign the book after purchase. I am still astonished that for a ticket costing $20, we get to listen to a Giller award winning author in addition to eating a delicious meal. Saturday night, Elizabeth Hay was speaking at the Port Medway Readers' Festival. She was charming and funny and I enjoyed the evening. Her latest book and the one she spoke about was "All Things Consoled". Peter drove the Gull Bay contingent. Clever Mary brought a pillow as the benches are hard. Gill and I brought up the back seat. Our routine is for Peter to drop us off at the Meeting Hall, then park the car at the Firehall. After the event, we walk the quarter mile for the reception. On August 10, we will do it all again but with a new author, Esi Edugyan. Pretty nifty from this tiny town in Nova Scotia.