WORDS WORDS WORDS. Newport Folk Festival 2011

It was my happy task to organise and co host with Greg Jenkins, WORDS WORDS WORDS 2011 for the Newport Folk Festival.

This was the fourth festival - a celebration of music, dance, spoken word and visual art - a truly embracing event.

Three writers groups were represented in the throng - Western Union, Newport and TISSG (The Incredibly Supportive Songwriters Group) as well as individuals with no group associations.

Gerry Nelson attended to the music - warming the room and making our guests welcome. This year Gerry invited Tiffany Ball to join him and together they are known as the G and T.

We enjoyed presentations fromm children's

authors - Claire Saxby and Lee Fox. Pictured here is Lee

reading from her latest Ella Kazoo Will Not Go To Sleep illustrated by Cathy Wilcox.

We had Michael Reynolds step up to the mic. Michael has hosted Passionate Tongues Poetry every fortnight in Brunswick for nearly 12 years. He also is a photographer for poetry and music events, has published a book of poetry in 2008 and received the Sandy McLeod Award in 2009 for services to Melbourne poetry.

Michael has been a supporter of WORDS since the beginning advising and guiding us.

There were so many who contributed to make

this event a happening thang - too many to mention. But I have to share these beautiful pics of James Howard

(Henry Lawson). James brought a tear to our eyes with a piece about drinking - being drunk in fact.

And finally my mate Dave Davies. Dave is a regular reciter of verse and prose at Folk Club events and no Festival would be complete without him.

Michael Reynolds kindly took these photos with my pocket digital - his beautiful camera was out of action. Thankyou Michael. The Pic of Mike was supplied by Claire Saxby