WordWave, a three-day festival on the grounds of Valhalla at the Tallac Historic Site, returns Oct. 21-23.

This literary mash-up will feature oral storytelling, theater performances and free readings, panels on craft, and a novel writing camp for kids. Highlights include a staged reading of the WordWave one-act playwriting contest winners, a maker’s station demo with bookbinding, letterpress printing, found poetry and art.

On Oct. 21, the festival kicks off with the annual Tall Timber Ball: Steampunk in the Woods fundraising gala. Tickets are available online.

A partial list of speakers for WordWave on Oct. 22 includes Galadrielle Allman, who wrote “Please Be With Me: A Song for My Father,” about the late musician Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers; Melissa Cistaro, the author of the memoir “Pieces of My Mother” and poet Alice Anderson, author of “the watermark,” and the forthcoming memoir from St. Martin’s Press, “Some Bright Morning I’ll Fly Away.” That Sunday features James Rollins, Todd Borg, and other thriller and mystery writers in a Mysterious Morning at the Grand Hall.

Free workshops include Novel Writing Camp for Kids with instructor Lewis Buzbee, Writing the Healing Story with Melissa Cistaro and House Afire: Burning Down Expected Narratives to Tell the Difficult Stories poetry workshop with Alice Anderson.

WordWave received more than 100 entries for the one-act play competition. Three winners will receive a cash prize and a trip to Tahoe to prepare a staged reading of the winning works on Oct. 22 at the Boathouse Theatre.

Visit the WordWave website for information and updates.