What about a celebrity author?

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By John Curry

EMC News - This year's Artists and Authors in the Park event hosted by the Stittsville Village Association (SVA) may have a celebrity author in attendance.

The name Mary Cook, the well known author and storyteller from Carleton Place, was suggested as the SVA executive discussed the event and its planning at its Feb. 9 meeting.

SVA immediate past president Metin Akgun, who is working on the organization of this year's event, suggested Mary Cook as an example of a well known author who could read from one of her books if she attended.

"Mary Cook herself will draw," agreed SVA director Theresa Qadri, noting that if Mary Cook were to be present, people will turn out.

To be held on Sunday, May 27 from noon to 5 p.m. at Village Square Park in downtown Stittsville, this event provides an opportunity for local artists and authors to display and sell their work.

In addition, youth involved with the Stittsville Youth Connexion/Stittsville Youth Association organization display their artwork and take part in a poetry contest.

This year's event will feature the music either of the Stittsville Concert Band or the Goulbourn Male Chorus.

The event also features a reading tent set up by the Stittsville branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

City of Ottawa Stittsville ward councillor Shad Qadri is expected to officially open the event.

The SVA is wrestling with a decision on whether to invite commercial specialty shops and also crafts people to take part in the Artists and Authors in the Park event.

SVA president Marilyn Jenkins suggested that having more variety among the exhibitors might draw more people to the event.

The SVA executive left it to the Artists and Authors in the Park organizing committee to determine whether crafts people or specialty businesses will be invited to participate in this year's event.