The festival was launched in the Octagon yesterday.
The programme contains more than 80 writers and performers across 36 public events.
Some of the more well-known authors include one of the world’s top crime writers, Ian Rankin; writer and theatre-maker Stella Duffy; multi-award-winning English novelist and journalist John Lanchester; Australian author Hannah Kent; English biographer and writer of Victorian thrillers MJ Carter; and writer-performer Rebecca Vaughan.
The festival includes writer workshops, panel sessions, poetry readings, theatrical events, author talks and family events.
Programme director Claire Finlayson said the diversity of writers and events on offer — many of them free — was designed to appeal to readers from all walks of life.
"As New Zealand’s only Unesco city of literature, Dunedin is a book-lover’s paradise and home to many of the country’s much-loved authors.
"The Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival reflects our city’s range of interests and talents — from sessions on how to drink beer, to a Flying Nun music event at the iconic Captain Cook bar, acoustic music with singer-songwriters Nadia Reid and Karl Bray, to a Mother’s Day brunch that brings together popular writer Emily Writes with Sunday magazine columnist Leah McFall."
Ms Finlayson said festival organisers were thrilled to have persuaded writers from around the world to join top Kiwi and Otago talent, "for a literary feast".
"It’ll be a week of excellently effervescent chat," she said.
Tickets to major events go on sale at TicketDirect today at 9am.
