As Judith Wright was one of Australia's greatest poets this year's festival gives a high profile to poetry, along with other forms of writing. Noted Braidwood writers Roger McDonald (winner of last year's Miles Franklin Award), Jackie French and Kim Mahood join interstate poets and writers in a richly diverse program.

There'll be a range of panels and readings plus informal events such as 'Random Acts of Poetry' in Braidwood streets, 'Haiku on the Hoof' walks, a Poets' Breakfast, a marathon writing workshop and poetry walks around 'Edge', Judith Wright's Mongarlowe home.

Highlights on the Saturday include a 'Writing the Land' discussion with writers for whom land is a central presence. Three prominent poets, Samuel Wagan Watson, Louise Crisp and Bronwyn Lea, will also read poems that distinctively reflect the festival theme. 'Saluting the Past' will celebrate past poets including Judith Wright and her contemporaries with readings of favourite poems.

Braidwood school students will have a chance to present their poetic achievements. There'll be workshops, 'Writing Wild', for primary students prior to the festival with local writer Harry Laing in Monga National Park. And festival guest poet Bronwyn Lea will work with secondary students on the Friday afternoon of the festival. Students' poems will be displayed at the festival and the Two Fires Poetry Competition results announced.

On Sunday a 'Writing as Activism' panel will focus on the power of the word. And another fascinating session will be 'Reaching Across Cultures', poems and conversation, featuring Iranian refugee poet, Mohsen Soltani, and Iraqi immigrant poet Fadeel Kayat, who'll also read poems of Lebanese poet Wadih Sa'adah. The session will be chaired by Anne Fairbairn, an authority on Middle Eastern poetry.