Guest Information

Please join us for our 41st annual festival, taking place August 17-20, 2023!

Buy Tickets Here
Download Program (PDF)
  • Patrons can purchase tickets online or by telephone.
  • Purchase by phone at 604-885-9631 or 1-800-565-9631
  • As of Tuesday, June 6, you can purchase in person at the Festival office (see details below).

2023 Ticket Prices

Single Ticket Events #1-14, #16-20$16Buy Here
Single Ticket Event #15 $20Buy Here
Single Ticket Event #21$20Buy Here
Festival Pass (providing access to Events #1-21)$275Buy Here
Friday Pass$95Buy Here
Saturday Pass$95Buy Here
Sunday Pass$85Buy Here

Office location, hours and contact information

5511 Shorncliffe Avenue, Sechelt
Monday – Friday, 9 am to 5:00 pm
Telephone: 604-885-9631 or 1-800-565-9631 / Email: marisa(at) writersfestival.ca.

Accessibility

The Festival takes place in the beautiful Rockwood Gardens, a heritage park located in downtown Sechelt. There is a wheelchair accessible pathway leading directly to the Festival Pavilion, the venue where all events take place. Please call the office at 604-885-9631 in advance to make seating arrangements or to request the assistance of an Accessibility volunteer who can meet you upon arrival.

Parking along Shorncliffe Avenue is reserved for vehicles displaying disability parking permits. There is also a pick-up and drop-off area on Shorncliffe Avenue beside the Festival office.

Washrooms: Please refer to the venue map (below) for the location of wheelchair accessible washrooms. All washrooms are gender neutral.

Venue

Rockwood Pavilion

All ticketed events take place in the Festival Pavilion at Rockwood Centre in Sechelt, British Columbia. Click here for full contact information. See venue map.

  • Please note that for security purposes, the Pavilion will be cleared after each performance.
  • Taping and recording any event is prohibited.
  • Use of flash cameras and video recorders is not permitted in the Pavilion.
  • Please, mute or turn off cellular phones during events.
  • Patrons with special seating needs are requested to call the office prior to attending the festival.
  • Limited parking for patrons with physical disabilities is available on a first come first served basis.
  • There is a drop-off and pick-up area at the Shorncliffe Avenue entrance to the festival site.
  • No dogs are allowed on the festival site (with the exception of service dogs).
  • The Sechelt Farmers & Artisans Market will be on Cowrie Street on the Saturday of the Festival until 2 pm. Please map out your approach in advance and call the Festival office for advice and directions if you’re not familiar with the area.
  • Please sign up for our email newsletter. This helps us to get news and information to you quickly and efficiently.

Concession and Book Sales

Big Tent at the festival

Strait Coffee will be on site, selling coffee, tea and an assortment of yummy sandwiches and baked goods. Jam Jar will also have a food booth, serving up delicious Lebanese food with options for lunch and dinner.

The Festival’s beverage booth will feature an assortment of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The beverage booth now accepts payment by credit and debit cards as well as cash. Free drinking water is also available here.

Our official Festival bookseller, Talewind Books, will be on site at each event to manage sales and author signings after each event. You can also visit the shop at 5494 Trail Avenue in Sechelt.

Travel & Lodging

How do I get to Sechelt?

Passengers and vehicles sail aboard BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay, in West Vancouver, to Langdale, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from Sechelt. Follow Highway 101 to Sechelt. Public transit and taxi are available between Langdale and Sechelt, and it’s a popular bike route, too.

If you’re travelling from central and northern Vancouver Island, or Powell River, travel with BC Ferries from Saltery Bay to Earls Cove. Then follow Highway 101 to Sechelt, a scenic drive that takes approximately one hour.

Ferry information including maps: bcferries.com or telephone 1-888-223-3779 or 604-886-2242.

Visitor information: sunshinecoastcanada.com/explore/south-coast/sechelt/

Sunshine Coast Transit information: telephone 604-885-3234 or bctransit.com/sunshine-coast/

Maps

Places to stay

Pebbles Restaurant in Sechelt

Sunshine Coast Tourism has listings for everything from campsites to resorts. There is limited accommodation within walking distance of the Rockwood Centre, where the Festival is held, so be sure to ask about location when you book.

Weather & what to wear

Summer days in Sechelt are usually sunny with a refreshing breeze off the ocean. But sometimes, dare we say, it rains. Your best bet is to bring casual, layer-able clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Please note that the Festival Pavilion is open air and is not heated.

Can I bring my family & friends?

Absolutely. For those who do not wish to attend Festival events, there are lots of activities in our region to keep them busy: sightseeing, beaching, hiking, mountain biking, golfing, boating, and more.

Green Initiatives

Please support our efforts to reduce waste. Bring your own refillable water bottles and coffee cups. Commercially bottled water is not sold on the festival site but drinking water will be available. All of our plates, cutlery, napkins and beverage cups are compostable. These items, as well as paper, cardboard and food waste, can be tossed into clearly marked collection bins instead of the garbage.

Handy links

Important Info—The Fine Print

  1. All information is subject to change without notice.
  2. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is not reserved.
  3. A minimum number of participants is required to operate each event. The Festival reserves the right to cancel an event at any time, in which case, your money would be refunded.
  4. In the event of cancellation, the Festival shall have no liability beyond the refund of monies paid to the Festival by the purchaser, which shall constitute a full settlement.
  5. REFUNDS — There are no refunds unless an event is cancelled. A $5 fee is charged for ticket exchanges.
  6. LOST OR STOLEN TICKETS — Lost or stolen tickets are the responsibility of the purchaser and cannot be replaced. Tickets purchased by phone can be held in the office and picked up upon arrival at the festival.
  7. The Festival acts only as an agent for services offered.