Taking place in Cradock, Olive Schreiner’s childhood home, in the Eastern Cape from 18 to 20 June 2026, this year’s edition of the Karoo Writers Festival is hosted jointly by Amazwi South African Museum of Literature and the Victoria Manor Hotel.
The headline guest this year is Stephen Symons, whose fifth poetry collection The Algebra of Insignificance won the 2026 Olive Schreiner Prize for Poetry.
Catch him at the following events:
Thursday, 18 June, Victoria Manor Hotel, 19:00
AVBOB Showcase with music by ACCESS Music, featuring Stephen Symons, 2026 Olive Schreiner Prize Winner for Poetry for The Algebra of Insignificance & Clinton V du Plessis, AVBOB Afrikaans Poetry Winner, reading from his latest poetry collection, Maar steeds sal daar miskien.
Friday, 19 June, Victoria Manor Hotel, 08:30-10:30
Stephen Symons: ‘Why poetry matters … especially in the classroom’
Saturday, 20 June, Victoria Manor Hotel, 10:00
Stephen Symons: ‘The highs and lows of my writing journey’
The Kingsmead Book Fair always offers a fabulous lineup, and this year is no different. Hosted by the Kingsmead College, the 14th iteration of the annual Book Fair, will be taking place on Saturday, 23 May 2026, from 08h30 to 18h00, in Johannesburg, opposite the Rosebank Gautrain station.
This year, Karavan Press and Indeed Books feature on the children and teen programme:
School Girl or Celebrity? – It’s All Alien to Me! It’s not easy being a famous television star especially when you must navigate your first day at high school ever! 🌟 As she longs to be a ‘normal’ teen, Lexi James faces school bullies, an online stalker, and family challenges. Through fun activities and discussions, with author Pamela Newham, uncover Lexi’s journey of self-discovery and the importance of friendship in My Three Names. Can Lexi find her true self amidst the chaos? Let’s find out together! Age: 14+
Blast Off with Laughter! Join us for an out-of-this-world adventure with Farting in Outer Space by Nick Clelland! This colourful and humorous picture book explores the themes of gender and acceptance, reminding us that girls and boys are all human—and that’s something to celebrate! Get ready for giggles and engaging discussions as we discover how differences can bring us together, one funny fart at a time! Age: 5+
Watch out also for Anna Stroud and Michael Boyd, who are chairing sessions on the programme for adult readers.
Together with Cheverells Farm and Liberty Books, we are delighted to invite you to the inaugural Elgin Poetry Festival in the stunning Elgin! Between 24 and 26 July 2026, Cheverells Farm and Liberty Books will be home to a series of events – discussions, readings, a launch and a workshop – celebrating poetry with all poetry lovers. The festival will commence with a Friday night fine dining & poetry evening and continue over the weekend.
Friday, 24 July 2026
18:30 for 19:00 Cheverells Farm: Friday night fine dining & poetry evening, featuring John Maytham reading words by Finuala Dowling.
An unforgettable evening of fine dining and poetry at The Cheverells Farm Shed as we celebrate the launch of the very first Elgin Poetry Festival on Friday, 24 July 2026.
Your ticket includes a welcome drink, delicious canapés, and a beautifully curated three-course meal – all enjoyed alongside a special live poetry reading by John Maytham, who will bring the words of Finuala Dowling to life in an intimate and atmospheric setting.
Proceeds from the ticket sales for this event will go to an NPO in Grabouw called Siphila Sonke. Funds will be donated to their Kids Club, which provides approximately 100 children a place for creative and academic stimulation in a safe and fun environment.
Workshop fee: R550. Tickets are limited. Please book early to avoid disappointment.
For visitors wanting to stay in Elgin during the Elgin Poetry Festival weekend, Cheverells Farm offers cosy cottages … soft linens, warm light, and peaceful farm mornings included. From 1 May 2026, book two nights and enjoy your third night on Cheverells Farm.
Slow down, breathe in the fresh air, and savour the simple pleasures of farm life.
We have exciting poetry news to share! Together with Cheverells Farm and Liberty Books, we are organising a poetry festival in the stunning Elgin! Between 24 and 26 July 2026, Cheverells Farm and Liberty Books will be home to the inaugural Elgin Poetry Festival. Expect a series of events – launches, discussions, readings and workshops – celebrating poetry with all poetry lovers. The festival will commence with a Friday night fine dining & poetry evening and continue over the weekend. Keep a look out for details!
Please join us for another Blown Away by Books event at the Fish Hoek Library on 18 April 2026, at 9.30AM – this year celebrating Secrets, the latest Karavan Stories anthology (2025) and the stories that have flown into and from the project. Secrets contributors Lucienne Argent, Christine Coates, Máire Fisher, Michelle A. Meyer, Helen Nevin, Joëlle Searle and Jana van Niekerk will be in conversation with Karina M. Szczurek about the anthology and their other writings. Now in its fourth year, the Karavan Stories project has gathered a wonderful community of writers who have continued writing and collaborating together. Come and be inspired by their remarkable stories, those already written and those in the making!
Books on the Bay is taking place in Simon’s Town between 13 and 15 March 2026 this year and we are thrilled to announce that a few Karavan Press authors will be taking part. We hope to see you all there!
An Icelandic volcano has thrown an ash cloud into the atmosphere and, across the world, planes have stopped flying. Karina Szczurek is in conversation with Elleke Boehmer about how her characters respond to a catastrophically changing environment.
Critically acclaimed author Karen Jennings tells Karina Szczurek about the inspiration behind her latest book, set in the eighteenth century on the Cape’s northern frontier, its mix of genres, and the real-life father and son at the heart of it.
His musical career was destroyed by the security police: this is the story of how he built back his life, brick by brick. Legendary musician Roger Lucey, combines storytelling, memoir and song in this moving account of building his own house in the mountains of the Breede River Valley.
The Cape Flats Book Festival 2026 is just around the corner and it is the perfect start to the literary festival calendar of the new year. A few Karavan Press and Indeed Books authors feature on the wonderful programme that has something to offer for every literary desire. We can’t wait for these two days of bookish encounters. Please join us!
27-31 October 2025 Wits Writing Centre, Wartenweiler Library Humanities Graduate Centre A festival of writing, featuring panel discussions, film screenings, dance, storytelling and poetry performances, workshops on poetry, translanguaging, zine publishing, book launches and much more.
We are heading to Richmond again at the end of this month and hoping that many readers from across the country will follow. It is time for the Madibaland @ BookBedonnerd Literary Festival! Taking place between 30 October and 1 November, the festival brings together a wonderful mix of writers and readers.
Among the participants are Karavan Press authors Chantal Stewart, Kerry Hammerton and Holland House Books’ Andile Cele, whose wonderful debut novel, Braids & Migraines, we help distribute in South Africa.
karavanpress.com 