J. Nichole Noel and Judy Powell are taking part in Knowledge Fest, which runs Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m.-7 p.m. both days) at Knowledge Bookstore.
The festival, hosted by radio personality Kofi Sankofa, features workshops, a marketplace, food, prizes, poetry performances, book readings and book signings.
Admission is free.
"The idea is to highlight local artists (and) to bring them to the forefront for the two days," said festival organizer Sean Liburd. "Usually, the local writers are a second thought. We’re neglecting the talent in our own back yard, so we’re giving people a good look at what the community has, talent-wise. That’s the way we build."
Noel, a spoken-word artist, has penned two poetry books and two children's novels, Nephetiti and Sweetie Go to the Zoo. She has also recorded two poetry albums and won the 2004-05 Toronto International Reggae Music Award for Dub Poet of the Year.
Examples of her work can be found at www.jnicholenoel.com.
Powell created her own publishing company to get her first novel — Hot Summer is about a hot-tempered woman named Summer, and her love affair with the strong-willed Lance — into print.
The Erin Mills resident has also released two other books, including Coffee, Cream and Curry.
For more on her writings, visit www.judypowell.net.
Other authors and artists participating include Kayla Perrin, Michelle Richards and Sophia Shaw who, along with Powell, will read excerpts from their latest novels and sign copies of the books. Children’s authors Leroy Comrie and Angelot Ndongmo will be joined by Noel to entertain the youth with their writings.
Spoken-word poets such as Lady Loxx, Osaze, Heron Jones, the Soul Adventurer, Eve Labi and Soul-R will present their distinct brand of poetry at the Poet's Corner.
"I think (the festival is) a great idea," said Jones. "As local artists, the exposure is necessary and it's a platform for us to reach out to the community and listen to their feedback about our craft and the work we’ve done."
Dancers from Mississauga's Ishay School of Dance will perform on Sunday. Seminars on holistic health, head-wrapping, the importance of library building, fiction, prose and poetry writing as well as funding options for writers are also on tap.
For more information, visit www.knowledgebookstore.com.
cclay@mississauga.net
