Festivals 2016: Must-See Book & Literature Festivals This Year
Contrary to popular belief, music festivals aren't the only way to spend your summer in a field caked in mud or amongst those who also share a joint passion for a particular artist or person. Literature festivals have been around for a very long time and they are one of the best ways to directly engage fans, writers and readers with authors and books. They're also great fun and you can meet some great people. Below are some of the events coming up in the next six months (I will add the ones later in the year at a later date due to their not being a lot of info about them yet).
February
LSE Festival
Monday 22nd February – Saturday 27th February 2016
LSE's 8th Literary Festival, inspired by the anniversary of Thomas More's Utopia, will explore the power of dreams and the imagination and the importance of idealism, dissidence, escapism and nostalgia, as well as the benefits of looking at the world in different ways.
Featuring: John Gray and Jennifer Makumbi
Contact Louise Gaskell +44 (0)20 7955 6043
Takes place on the LSE Campus in London. All events are free (!), but you need to book.
More info: http://www.lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/spaceForThought/LiteraryFestival2016/Home.aspx
March
The Independent Bath Literature Festival
Friday 26th February - Sunday 6th March 2016
You can book....
- Online at bathfestivals.org.uk - In Person at Bath Box Office - Telephone 01225 463362
Featuring: Sebastian Faulks. Tracey Chevaliar
Words by the Water
Friday 4th March - Sunday 13th March 2016
VENUE ADDRESS: Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5DJ •The festival directors and many of the writers are available for interview. •The full programme is available on the website – www.wordsbythewater.org.uk •Most tickets are £10, day tickets and Festival Passes are available. All from the Theatre’s box office, on-line at www.theatrebythelake.com.or by phone: 017687 74411. • For any further information contact: Phil John 01803 867311
Featuring: Joan Bakewell, HRH Princess Michael, Virginia Baily
April
The FT Oxford Literary Festival
Saturday 2nd April – Sunday 10th April 2016
The Festival presents over 200 authors, covering all areas of writing, plus events for children. Find out more: http://oxfordliteraryfestival.org/contact
Featuring: Jacqueline Wilson, Joe Abercrombie, Laura Barnett, Tracey Chevalier, Alan Ayckbourn, Richard Dawkins.
Cambridge Wordfest
Tuesday 5th April - Thursday 14th April 2016
The Festival presents a wide variety of writers over three days in Cambridge towards the end of April each year.
Find out more: http://www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk/
Kate Tempest on the line up
Stratford Upon Avon Literary Festival
Sunday 24th April – Sunday 1st May 2016
Celebrating its 9th year in 2016, The Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival is an exciting mixture of debate, ideas, celebrity author events, workshops and humour. Alongside this is a programme of education events in Stratford and local schools involving favourite authors, poets and illustrators, entertaining and inspiring children from 2 to 18.
Find out more: http://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/
May
The Hay Festival
Thursday 26th May – Sunday 5th June 2016
One of the largest and most famous literary festivals in the UK, in the ‘Book’ town of Hay-on-Wye.
Find out more: http://www.hayfestival.co.uk
Featuring: Dara O’Brian, Marlon James, Germaine Greer, Jeanette Winterson,
June
Worcestershire Literary Festival
Friday 10th June – Sunday 19th June 2016
An array of spoken word events, seminars, theatre performances, and more, to inspire, entertain, and educate.
Find out more: http://worcslitfest.co.uk/
Programme coming soon.
July
Harrogate Crime Writing Festival
Thursday 21st July - Sunday 24th July 2016
Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate
Presents many leading UK and international writers of crime fiction
Find out more: https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/crime/
Featuring: Val McDermid, Peter James, Jeffery Deaver