03 Jun Tiverton Literary Festival is here!
I’m so excited that Tiverton Literary Festival is here! It’s wonderful to see new and dynamic literary festivals popping up all over the UK, encouraging a love of reading and writing for all ages. This one has been funded by the Tiverton Portas Company – huge thanks to all the organisers who have worked so hard to make the festival happen.
I had a chat with Sue Griggs, Chair of the Tiverton Portas Company about the festival.
Why did you set up a literary festival?
I’d been talking about organising a literary festival in Tiverton for sometime. As the mayor I visited schools and was surprised at the many children who loved reading books and I wanted to encourage these young book enthusiasts. The Tiverton Portas Company agreed it would be a good event for the town that could bring people into the town and would use the shops and businesses here and therefore help with our regeneration plans. I met authors Lucy V Hay, Jenny Kane and Kerstin Muggeridge. Lucy had been involved with a London Literary festival and gave me some advice and direction. Jenny and Kerstin were really enthusiastic about the festival and have been brilliant with the organising and have done a tremendous amount of work required to get this event off the starting blocks. It wouldn’t have been possible without these two ladies.
What is your vision for the festival?
The hope is that anyone with a love of books, writing, reading, poetry and words can enjoy and come together at this event. We would like to see it grow and become a very significant annual event in Tiverton’s calendar involving the whole community and businesses. We want it to be fun and informative and encourage people of all ages to enjoy reading and we hope it may enthuse those who don’t read much to start to. We might even get that book that’s in everyone to start being written.
What are your thoughts about the future of the festival?
The hope for the future is to grow the event, attract more helpers and organisers for the next one and get everyone to pick up a book!
Thanks, Sue! Wishing you all the best for the festival!
There’s still chance to get tickets for some of the events, and many events are free. There’s more information about it all here.
I’ll be taking part in the Story Trail for children on Saturday with other wonderful local authors, starting at 10am at Alley Cats shop, Fore Street. Hope to see you there!
