Simon’s Town’s historical richness and natural beauty make it the ideal venue for a literary festival. A true tavern of the seas, around every corner there is a story to tell. The setting for bestselling fiction, Simon’s Town and the far south is home to a number of South Africa’s most renowned authors.

Books on the Bay takes an open-ended approach to curating the festival. With an emphasis on creativity, we avoid prescribing topics for discussion by our authors. Headlines are light touch or chosen by the authors themselves.   

Books on the Bay will be run on a non-profit basis, as an annual event.

Featured writers and speakers include J.M. Coetzee, Antjie Krog, Jose Agualusa, Damon Galgut, Sindiwe Magona, Futhi Ntshingila, Wahbie Long, Andre Odendaal, Max du Preez, Chase Rhys, Kirby van der Merwe, Sonwabiso Ngcowa, Zeid Baker, Finuala Dowling, Ingrid de Kok, Joanne Richards, Fred de Vries, Gabeba Baderoon, Jan Glasewski, Karin Cronje, Darryl David, Mignonne Breier, Elleke Boehmer, Nancy Richards, Herman Lategan, Max du Preez, Mark Gevisser, Jacques Pauw, Justin Fox, Barbara Mutch, Henrietta Rose-Innes, Denis Hirson, Tracy Going, Bongani Kona, and Helen Moffet. 

The festival will interact with and support local schools and libraries in Simon’s Town, Ocean View, and Masiphumelele.

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