BOOK LOVERS from across the Vale are being invited to celebrate great and upcoming writing next weekend at the first Evesham Festival of Words.
Local and national names headline the festival which runs from Friday (July 1) to Sunday (July 3).
The jewel in Friday’s crown will take place in Evesham Town Hall, where bestselling author, Katie Fforde, will meet local authors, aspiring writers and anyone who would like to meet one of the UK’s most popular writers of the decade.
Katie will also present prizes to the Festival’s short story competition winners, who will, alongside their prize, receive copies of the short story anthology, which includes their winning piece.
If music is more your thing, Saturday’s performance by Evesham Operatic and Dramatic Society (EODS) at St. Peter’s Church, Bengeworth, includes a fabulous programme of songs from the shows, readings and dance.
The award-winning entertainers sit right at the top of our local league of talent, so be prepared to laugh, love and join in with the very best of the Vale.
The three day Festival will close on Sunday evening with rib-tickling humour as international one-man-band and actor, Michael Lunts, performs at Evesham Art Centre.
Michael brings his own version of Noel Coward’s ‘P&O 1930’.
This charming but cheeky show takes us back to a gentler age, revealing Coward’s wry take on life, love and language as Michael tells stories of the scandal and shenanigans of a bygone era .
Katie Fforde’s event starts at 7pm and the EODS and Michael Lunts events start at 7.30pm.
Tickets for these, and other Festival events, are available from the Festival Box Office, based at The Almonry, Vine Street, Evesham
Festival Chairman, Sue Ablett, said she was looking forward to the packed programme including the crème de la crème from the worlds of writing, music and theatre.
“After leading the Bell Tower Appeal and Evesham Cyclefest for its first two years, it has been a great experience to chair the Festival Steering Group, working with a small team of local, dedicated volunteers who have turned a good idea a great event,” he added.
“Right at the start we all agreed that Evesham Festival of Words was going to offer something for everyone and we’re confident that we’ve done just that!
“You certainly don’t have to be an author, poet, regular theatre goer or a reader of classic literature to enjoy the Festival, but you do need to enjoy good entertainment right on your doorstep.
“We’re thrilled with the support we’ve received from the local councils, businesses and individuals and I thank everyone for their help in putting Evesham on the literary map,” she added.
Visit www.eveshamfestivalofwords.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information.
* YOUNG bookworms will be well catered for at the festival with a fantastic day out for all the family next Saturday (July 2).
The fun starts at 10.30am when Roz Streeten, creator of the enormously successful Rosie Flo and Johnnie Flo colouring books, welcomes four to seven year olds to her ‘Make your own colouring book’ workshop.
At 12.30pm, Roz continues the fun on the same theme, but this time for six to nine year olds.
When the colouring book is all done, youngsters can meet local children’s author and the Festival’s pirate expert, Julie Fulton.
Ideal for children aged three to seven, Julie will regale her young audience with swashbuckling stories and pirate poems.
The session will round off with a chance for everyone to get creative and write their very own pirate rhyme.
After a well earned lunch, children’s authors: Ann Evans and Karen King will be at Evesham Town Hall, for storytelling.
The 2pm to 2.40pm session is aimed at children aged four to seven years and then the authors change pace at 3pm when children aged eight and over will learn how to develop characters in their own stories.
The children’s programme will come to a close with a 4pm workshop ‘Questions and Answers – Writing and Getting Published’.
The workshop is suitable for anyone aged seven and above.
* ASPIRING writers are being sought for a selection of writers’ workshops, run by established authors.
Chris Hill, a past Bridport winner, will host a workshop at the Evesham Hotel next Friday, July 1 from 11am all about the short stories which could provide the nursery slopes for an eventual best-seller.
Debbie Young is the Festival’s resident expert in self-publishing and will share her experiences at 1.30pm on the same day at the same venue.
Knowing what you want to write about, or the genre, is the foundation stone to great writing.
Established authors Alison May, Janice Preston and Lindsay Stanberry-Flynn will help authors pick the right prose with a workshop at 3.30pm, again at the same venue.
On Sunday (July 3) at 3pm, the festival welcomes local author Sue Johnson to the Evesham Hotel where she will reveal the alchemy of writing.
