02/06/2026
As another wonderful Writers’ Week comes to a close, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make it such a special week.
First and foremost, a HUGE thank you to the Writers’ Week Organising Committee for the dedication, vision and countless hours of work that go on behind the scenes throughout the year to create the foundation for this incredible festival. Writers’ Week is one of the things that makes Listowel so special, celebrating the literary heritage that runs so deeply through our town, and we are so fortunate to have it at the heart of our community.
Thank you also to the volunteers who give so generously of their time, to the speakers and visitors who travelled from near and far, to our incredible staff, and to all our loyal customers and friends who supported us in the lead-up to the festival and throughout the week itself. The warmth, kindness and community spirit on display all week was a wonderful reminder of what makes Listowel such a special place.
This year's Writers’ Week was a particularly bittersweet one for us. It was the first without Brenda, and we felt her absence deeply. Writers’ Week was always one of her favourite weeks of the year. She loved the buzz around the town, the conversations, the visitors, the books and the friendships that the festival brought together.
Over the course of the week, so many people stopped to share their memories and stories of Brenda with us. Each one was a gift. Hearing how she touched the lives of so many people brought us great comfort and reminded us just how much she meant to this community.
We know Brenda would have been immensely proud to see the town come alive once again for Writers’ Week. While we missed her terribly, we felt her presence everywhere throughout the festival and in the kindness shown to us by so many people.
Thank you to everyone who called in, shared a story, offered a kind word or simply checked in on us. Your support meant more than we can say.
Until next year, thank you for continuing to make Writers’ Week such a special celebration of books, stories, community and friendship ❤️