Serious Business at Trivia Night

Twenty years of the Willy Lit Fest was revisited at this year’s annual festival trivia night – and, boy, what a history we’ve had!

Around 60 trivia die-hards gathered as per tradition in the middle of March at the Pirates Tavern inside the old Williamstown dockyards to test their knowledge about all things literary, particularly those things 20 years old.

We discovered much about authors who had written 20 books or more, and about significant publications from 20 years ago, such as The Kite Runner, The Time Travellers Wife and even The Da Vinci Code.

The first Williamstown Literary Festival was staged in 2004 and in the subsequent years more than 700 authors, poets, journalists, songwriters, commentators and thinkers have appeared to talk about their lives and their works.

The Pirates Tavern trivialists matched wits over such detail as the venues used over two decades of festivals, the big names that had appeared, books and authors that call the Western suburbs home, and the remarkable afternoon in 2006 when a festival panellist stripped naked to win the debate “are women funny?”

WLF president Hugh Jones said proceeds from the 2023 trivia night would go towards staging the festival in June.

“The annual autumn trivia night has become part of the festival program and we’re very thankful for those who come out to support us,” he said.

This year’s festival in June will celebrate the past by creating plenty of memorable moments for future generations to recall. Many past guests will be returning, some of whom have achieved even greater rewards after their first visit to Willy.

The 2023 program will be released in early May when tickets go on sale. Subscribe to our e-newsletter for all the latest details.