Marlborough LitFest celebrates its 15th year in 2024 from 26-29 September, with a varied programme covering a range of topics for everyone. An exciting mix of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s authors and free schools events as well as bookish activities and workshops will take place in the historic market town over the festival weekend. LitFest aims to give its regular audience plenty of literary treats but also to attract people who haven’t tried the festival before.
In its 15 th year LitFest has expanded its free activities for younger children and their families, with many ways to join and share everyone’s love of stories. The children’s festival programme features a bumper crop of events – many free – to keep all ages entertained both before and during the festival weekend. Little ones can enjoy poetry and storytelling slots at Pewsey and Marlborough Libraries, with Street Storytellers at The Parade Cinema, as well as free craft activities at St Peter’s Church with Aldbourne Children’s Book Group. Tall Tales Theatre will perform children’s stories with live music before and during LitFest. The popular Once Upon a Trail around Marlborough High Street returns for 2024: families can follow clues hidden in shop windows in Marlborough from 14-29 September to uncover hidden stories.
Every year LitFest sets up free author events for children at local schools. Award-winning author and humourist Andy Seed will be talking to Year 5 and 6 pupils in the Marlborough area about his Ancient Greek puzzle book, Going for Gold. Bestselling author Jenny Pearson will be bringing her exciting story, Shipwrecked, to Year 5 and 6 pupils in the Calne and Pewsey Vale areas. Local primary schoolchildren can participate in a story competition, this year themed: ‘A Forest Adventure’, with the results displayed during the festival weekend.
Older children can take part in the annual LitFest Big School Read for invited local secondary schools hosted at St John’s Academy in Marlborough and come along for the (always lively) St John’s Academy Sixth Form Debate at the Town Hall. LitFest’s fifth Love Books Competition has offered entrants the chance to explain their favourite book, poem or play in up to 750 words, with cash prizes of £300 and £100 available in each age group.
Online: www.marlboroughlitfest.org