A Walk Down Memory Lane

Dear Friends,

As Prose in the Park enters its third year, I took a walk down memory lane to re-read the festival's first major media coverage. Peter Robb of the Ottawa Citizen graciously featured in 2015 the inaugural festival, giving it a real boost. Thank you, Peter and the Ottawa Citizen, for that wonderful article. The article came out just before the festival as the organizing committee was putting in 110% to ensure that the event would take off as planned. It was an ambitious undertaking to pull together the largest outdoor literary event in Ottawa in at least twenty years, especially without any direct government funding. And bilingual as well!

Our tenacity paid off. The Wellington West Business Improvement Association came in with a start-up grant of $300. The WWBIA has upped that to $1000 for last year's festival and again is supporting this year's event with $1000. Thank you, WWBIA, for your vote of confidence in Prose in the Park. Local businesses, like the Carleton Tavern, came through with over $2000 in small grants. Writers groups chipped in more money. The Hintonburg Community Association secured us free use of the Parkdale Park and lent us dozens of tables and chairs, as well as their strong arms to set up the many tents.

Most importantly, we brought together 150 moderators, panelists, authors and publishers from across Canada in a beautifully laid-out venue. The Parkdale Park came to life with the colourful tents and vibrant voices of the authors, including Giller Prize winner Vincent Lam and Governor General Prize winner Rosemary Sullivan. It was an amazing start to Prose in the Park. On June 10, 2017, we hope to offer you an equally beautiful festival with some truly wonderful established and emerging authors. Brace yourself for the best in Canadian literature!

Cheers,

Ian Shaw Chair, Prose in the Park Organizing Committee www.proseinthepark.com