Adelaide Writers' Week, Australia's longest-running and largest free literary festival, has been cancelled for 2026, leaving a profound sense of loss and betrayal among its devoted community. The event, a beloved fixture held annually on Kaurna land at the tail end of summer, has been reduced to what one of its regular hosts describes as a 'cratering hole' in the cultural calendar.
A Civilised and Casual Festival Vibe
For decades, the festival has offered a uniquely civilised yet casual atmosphere. Nestled in the graceful Pioneer Women's Memorial Garden, behind the grandeur of Government House, it provided an open-air haven of thought-provoking debate. Attendees would sprawl on the sloping lawn or shuffle in the shifting shade of plane trees, armed with picnics, sunscreen, and curiosity.
As South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas noted in last year's program, it was a 'remarkable, uniquely free event' that served as a platform for an extraordinary array of local and international literary talent. Over six days, tens of thousands gathered for sessions that were gratis during the day, with ticketed evening events, discussing everything from politics and history to the latest plot twists in fiction.
A Storied History and Cherished Memories
Since its inception in 1960, Adelaide Writers' Week has boasted an illustrious roster of participants. The first event featured Max Harris and Colin Thiele. Over the years, legends like Kurt Vonnegut, Ted Hughes, Hilary Mantel, Julian Barnes, Peter Carey, and Kazuo Ishiguro have graced its stages. More recently, crowds queued for signings from authors like Trent Dalton and Andy Griffiths.
The festival sparked fierce loyalty, with some attendees not missing an event since the 1970s. Personal memories shared by the community highlight its eclectic and impactful nature: from a terminally ill Christian grandmother attending a talk by euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke, to audiences being held spellbound by Michelle de Kretser or laughing along with Irvine Welsh's profanity-laced readings.
The Void Left Behind
The cancellation, described as an 'omnishambles', has left the festival's happy army of volunteers and workers hurting. For many, Writers' Week was an annual ritual—a place to shut out the world, mingle ideas, and leave with bags full of books and minds buzzing with new perspectives.
Instead of the usual balmy strolls from the garden, the community is left watching attempts to paper over the gaping absence of the 2026 festival. All hope is now pinned on Adelaide Writers' Week 2027 managing to turn a page and resurrect this essential platform for the written word and respectful debate. The cancellation underscores not just the loss of an event, but the silencing of a vital cultural conversation.
