Wai Word - Monthly On 1st Sundays

Wai Word.
A free and friendly way to meet writers.

1st Sunday afternoon of the month, at 3pm, except January.
Usually at Carterton Courthouse, beside Events Centre, Holloway St, Carterton, Wairarapa.

*5 July event at Carterton Memorial Club (RSA) Club Carterton, 35 Broadway St, Carterton
*2 August event is at Martinborough Bookshop, 6 Kitchener St, Martinborough

2020 Season
2 Feb - HG Parry
1 Mar - Vaughan Rapatahana
5 Apr - POSTPONED
10 May - CANCELLED DUE TO COVID - Wai Word @ Featherston Booktown -- "The Influence of Place - with Wairarapa-based writers Lilla Csorgo, Rhondda Greig, Madeleine Slavick, John Summers, 1.30-2.30, at Kiwi Hall, ANZAC Hall, 62 Bell St, Featherston
7 June - Environment Panel with Pat White, Kerri McGill (NZ Pacific Studio Masterton District Fellow), and Raihānia Tipoki, Michael Woodcock and others - MC Gareth Winter
5 July - Don Farr - WWII poetry - at Carterton Memorial Club, RSA, 35 Broadway St, Carterton
2 Aug - Wai Word @ Martinborough Bookshop, Open Mic with Dark Sky theme, 6 Kitchener St, Martinborough
6 Sep - Marilyn Garson, author of 'Still Lives - a memoir of Gaza'
4 Oct - Michelle Elvy, author of 'the everrumble' - Flash Fiction
1 Nov - Adrienne Jansen and migrant writers
6 Dec - End of Year Gathering @ Almo's Books / Page 42 Cafe

For information: 06 379 7103
events.waiword@gmail.com

Wai Word has run monthly events since 2012 - readings, talks, workshops, book fairs, open mics, conversations, (fun) competitions, workshops, book launches and more.

Venues vary, but we usually hold our functions at the Carterton Community Courthouse, beside the Events Centre, Holloway Street, Carterton.

Genres vary, and we like it that way. We’ve welcomed cartoonists, fiction and non-fiction writers, singer-songwriters, historians, poets, publishers, storytellers and writers working in various languages.

Guest writers over the years: Pip Adam, Hinemoana Baker, Di Batchelor, Jenny Bornholdt, James Brown, Glenn Colquhoun, Catherine Cooper, David Coventry, Lilla Csorgo, Christine Daniell, Sam Duckor-Jones, Michelle Elvy, Kate DeGoldi, Sam Duckor-Jones, Karl Du Fresne, Don Farr, Tracy Farr, Fiona Farrell, Ali Foster, Janis Freegard, Marilyn Garson, Anahera Gildea, Rhondda Greig, Jared Gulian, Dinah Hawken, Simon Fleck, Jared Gulian, Mandy Hager, Maxine Hemi, Alan Jefferies, Tim Jones, Fiona Kidman, Lloyd Jones, Sarah Laing, Bill Manhire, Mary McCallum, Sue McCauley, Meow Gurrrls, Leeanna Morgan, Yukari Nikawa, Lisa Nimmo, Gregory O’Brien, HG Parry, Mark Pirie, Joe Potangaroa, Jan Pryor, Vaughan Rapatahana, Harry Ricketts, Paddy Richardson, Madeleine Slavick, Rawiri Smith, Gaye Sutton, Apirana Taylor, Carrie Tiffany, Eileen Van Trigt, Pat White, Damien Wilkins, Caren Wilton, and Kim Workman.

Wai Word likes to collaborate - Over the years, we’ve partnered with Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History, Carterton Events Centre, Carterton District Library, Featherston Booktown, Greytown Library, Hedleys Booksellers, Kokomai Creative Festival, Makaro Press, Wairarapa Archive, and Yarns in Barns.

Wai Word has many supporters. We are run by Volunteers, and funded by people’s Koha at the door. Almo’s Books has been a generous supporter since 2013. Creative New Zealand through the Creative Communities Scheme (Carterton and Masterton) have provided core base funding. We have also received periodic grants from Masterton District Council (for large events in Masterton) and from NZ Book Awards (to run National Poetry Day events). We have an active Facebook page and an email list of several hundred people.

Founded in 2012 by Simon Fleck and Madeleine Slavick, Wai Word’s first meeting was held on 20th August 2012, at Martinborough Hotel. We then shifted to Greytown Hotel, and in 2013 settled in Carterton at Almo’s Books. As we grew, we moved to the Carterton Events Centre and Community Courthouse.

Almo’s Books, 42 High St South, Carterton, serves as the group’s base.
Tel 06 379 7103.