Addi Road Writers’ Festival Returns to Marrickville in 2026

Community storytelling, literary panels and live performances headline the Inner West's Addi Road Writers Festival, celebrating diverse voices.

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Marrickville will once again be home to one of the city’s most vibrant community‑driven cultural events when the Addi Road Writers’ Festival returns on Saturday, 16 May 2026. Hosted by the Addi Road Community Organisation at 142 Addison Road, Marrickville. The annual festival celebrates storytelling in all its forms — from literary panels and poetry to music, conversation and ideas.

Now in its sixth year, the festival has quickly become a highlight of Sydney’s arts calendar, blending serious discussions with spontaneous creative expression and grassroots engagement. In 2025 the theme was “Free Expression”, capturing the festival’s commitment to diverse voices and open dialogue among writers, performers and audiences alike.

Across Gumbramorra Hall and the Greek Theatre, visitors can expect a day packed with literary panels, spoken word performances, live music and insightful conversations that bridge genres and perspectives. Panels in past years have featured award‑winning authors, poets, journalists, and songwriters. Discussing topics from ecological writing and political expression to identity, community and the writing life itself.

But the Addi Road Writers’ Festival is more than a series of talks, it’s a celebration of community. With food stalls, outdoor green spaces and a relaxed, family‑friendly atmosphere, it invites festival‑goers to connect with both ideas and each other. All profits support Addi Road’s broader humanitarian work, including food relief and community services, reinforcing the festival’s roots in social justice and cultural inclusion.

Whether you’re a seasoned reader, an aspiring writer or simply curious about the power of stories to shape conversation and community, this festival offers a rich, welcoming space to explore the written and spoken word in all its vibrant, transformative forms. Find more details at addiroad.org.au. 

Saturday 16 May 2026, Addison Road Community Centre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville