EXETER__The Exeter LitFest, held for the first time in April, recently received approval as a 501c-3 non-profit organization with the intention of making the festival an annual event.
The newly formed non-profit is led by a volunteer board of directors, whose goal is to help make the LitFest a sustainable event by supporting its growth while spearheading fundraising and outreach efforts.
Board members include Chairperson and LitFest Founder Renay Allen-Hitzrot, Vice Chair Alex Myers, Lisa Bunker (treasurer/membership), Jack Herney, Lara Bricker (communications), Stefanie Kiper Schmidt (programming), and Susan Drinker.
Bunker noted the popularity of the inaugural LitFest, which was made possible thanks to an all-volunteer effort.
“A bunch of local folks who are passionate about the written word teamed up and made it happen. The team worked together really well, and public response was warm and abundant,” Bunker said. “It really just seemed like we had found an idea that people wanted. So, the natural next step was clearly to become an official non-profit, with the intention of keeping the LitFest going and growing for years to come.”
The Second Annual Exeter LitFest will take place April 3 and 4 of 2020.
"Beginning with Tabitha Gilman Tenney in 1801 this has been a writer’s town, and we are thrilled to put a spotlight on that as a brand for Exeter,” Allen-Hitzrot said. “Our annual event celebrates the incredible diversity of writers and poets connected with Exeter, whether they be internationally known or enjoy a more local following. We also hope to provide inspiration for our next wave of writers of all ages."
The inaugural festival in April of 2019 included a keynote by Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, as well as events with Joe Hill, Brendan Dubois, and NH Teen Poet Laureate Cate Dixon. Other events included a cosplay ball and a community book club discussion dubbed “Breakfast with Owen” centered on John Irving’s best seller “A Prayer for Owen Meany.”
The Exeter LitFest’s mission is “To leverage our wealth of local literary treasure, in an environmentally sustainable way, to connect both residents and tourists to the diverse literary voices and places of greater Exeter, NH for the benefit of children and adults, the local arts community, and local businesses.” For more information, visit www.exeterlitfest.com
