Popular town book festival returning

With a combination of in-person and online events, a popular family book festival promises to be fun and educational, as well as Covid-safe.
Newark Book Festival logo.Newark Book Festival logo.
Newark Book Festival logo.

Newark Book Festival is returning next month with a new series of events and writing workshops, taking place from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 July 2021, with the added opportunity to enjoy a selection of events online.

There will be headline events with Poirot-writer Sophie Hannah, Nottingham musical family Kadiatu, Aminata and Konya Kanneh-Mason, bestseller writers Stuart Turton and Sarah Ward, local children’s author Frances Stickley and fiction writer Cathy Bramley, plus online events with top authors Mark Billingham, David Baldacci and Becky Goddard-Hill.

The ever-popular Literature Village makes a return, along with the family day at Newark Castle featuring storytelling and creative activities.

Mark Billingham is one of many authors appearing at Newark Book Festival.Mark Billingham is one of many authors appearing at Newark Book Festival.
Mark Billingham is one of many authors appearing at Newark Book Festival.

The Newark Book Festival team is privileged to be welcoming audiences back to beloved venues such as the Palace Theatre and Tudor Hall with this being the first opportunity to attend live in-person events.

Festival-goers can also meet their favourite authors at post-talk book signings and Festival bookseller, The Bookcase in Lowdham, will be running a pop-up book stall in the Ballroom at Newark Town Hall, where book worms can stock up on summer reads or grab a signed book or two.

Writers of all ages are invited to submit poems around the theme ‘Home and Heritage’ to form part of the Festival’s Words in Windows exhibition, plus local schools are invited to take part in an online Schools Day curated by the Festival and be part of the Newark Book Festival Press Team working with The Young Journalist Academy.

Artistic director Sara Bullimore said: “Our 2021 Festival may look a little different to what you are used to, but nonetheless we are delighted to bring you a varied, fun, informative and inspiring programme. Our theme for 2021 is Our Stories, so we invite you to share your stories, of home, of our heritage, of our young people, how we stay happy, what have we been reading – we look forward to welcoming you in person or online as we celebrate together and remember those who we have lost”.

All events will follow COVID-safety guidelines.

Tickets for in-person and online events are now on sale, so visit newarkbookfestival.org.uk to book online, or call or visit The Palace Theatre Box Office on 01636 655 755.

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