THIRTY Tasmanian Poetry Festivals in, and the premise has not changed.
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‘‘The basic structure is the same – the basic idea has been kept that people get up and read and recite their poetry,’’ festival founder Tim Thorne said.
‘‘I’d never done anything like it before in my life – there weren’t huge numbers the first time but it grew rapidly over the years.’’
Since Thorne started the festival in 1985, it has gone on to become Australia’s longest-running poetry festival and Tasmania’s only annual literary festival.
More events, different venues and a popular cruise along the Tamar River have been added to the program since Cameron Hindrum took the reins in 2003.
Hindrum listed Saturday night’s Launceston Poetry Cup as an unmissable event.
‘‘The Launceston Poetry Cup – it’s cut-throat,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s open to everyone ... You get a minute and the sole criteria by which you are judged is the level of noise created by the audience.
‘‘It gets some fairly big names but reputation is no precedent whatsoever.’’
The Tasmanian Poetry Festival begins at Home Point Marina at 6.30pm Friday with Words on Water. Bookings are essential.
FACT FILE
WHAT: The Tasmanian Poetry Festival.
WHEN: From Friday until Sunday.
WHERE: Venues around Launceston.
HOW MUCH: Single events $10 each. Weekend passes $40.
DETAILS: Visit taspoetryfest.org/ or collect a program from Fullers Bookshop.