atched in 1986 at the Athenaeum Theatre, this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) celebrates its 25th anniversary. With that milestone, a festival program as multifaceted as a good novel ensues.

This year the MWF welcomes over 400 acclaimed and popular authors, social and cultural commentators, philosophers, crime writers, poets, screenwriters and historians from 19 countries. Literary guests will be arriving to Melbourne from as far reaching as Spain, Somalia, the UK and Norway with others having to venture little further than Flinders Street Station.

What makes this festival such a well loved and revered event is its ability to entrance such a diverse and vast audience of bloggers, writers, students, journalists and lovers of poetry. Packed into the festival's ten days are author readings, panel discussions with authors, film screenings, literary food events, free events and kids’ activities to just name a small few.

Here are a few of our tops picks for the festival:

An evening with Joss Whedon
In this key note event, screenwriter and director Joss Whedon will share his love affair with pop culture. Discussing his fascination with story telling across a variety of media forms, from films Toy Story to the TV shows Buffy to a range of comics books.
Where: Melbourne Town Hall
Where: Friday 27th August

25 Years of French Food Writing (and Eating)
Libertine French Dining Room creates a five-course feast of food and wine exploring twenty-five years of French cuisine's most seminal texts. Hosted by Stephanie Alexander and featuring the dishes and musings of George-Auguste Escoffier, Keith Floyd, James Beard, Prosper Montagné and Julia Child.
Where: Libertine
When: Wednesday 1st September

Linear Notes-Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
Some of our most treasured writers are the ones we sing along. Liner Notes is a poetic tribute to Fleetwood Mac's masterpiece Rumour's.
Where: The Toff in Town
When: Saturday 4th September

The Melbourne Writers Festival runs from 27 August to 5 September.

www.mwf.com.au