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The Henry Lawson Festival is an arts festival held annually on the June long weekend in Grenfell, New South Wales, a town in the central west New South Wales, Australia—the birthplace of Henry Lawson, one of Australia's best loved poets and writer of short stories. The Festival is one of the longest running arts events in NSW and 2017 sees it celebrate its 60th year. It will also see the town celebrate Henry Lawson's 150th birthday, 17 June.
The festival kicks off on the Thursday evening with a special event at the Grenfell Art Gallery, and from there, through to the Monday a wide array of exhibitions, events and entertainment are on for all tastes and ages. Art and photography exhibitions, short story and verse competitions, a colourful street procession, children's rides, street entertainment including busking and live music, and car show are just a few of the wonderful events that take place over the festival weekend.
Iandra Castle also opens its doors to the public on the Sunday.
Each year the festival hosts an official guest for the weekend, with past guests including Dick Smith, Alan Jones, Judy Nunn, Garry McDonald, Slim Dusty, Bill Peach and Bertha Jago (Henry Lawson's Daughter) to name just a few.
Over the last few years the committee also encourage all those with the name Henry (first, middle or last name) to meet at the Henry Lawson statue in Main Street for a group photo at 11.30am on the Saturday of the Festival.
You can find out more information about the town of Grenfell here.