A NOTABLE change to the Lowdham Book Festival from previous years is the absence of the stalls and marquees in and around the village hall on the closing day of the event (Saturday 30 June 2012).
TV presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle will talk about his autobiography on 25 June 2012 at the Lowdham Book Festival
In a brief note introducing the programme for the 2012 Lowdham Book Festival, which has just been published, the organisers say that for “various reasons” this element will be absent in 2012, but there will still be “a great programme of talks and activities throughout the day”. The focus around the village hall has been referred to as ‘Glastonbury for Books’, and should return in 2013.
The Lowdham Book Festival 2012 runs throughout the month of June, with dozens of events including readings by authors and visits to literary locations. Among the household names appearing this year are thriller writer Peter James, TV presenter Ben Fogle, and journalist Penny Junor.
An innovation in this year’s festival is the Food Fiesta, held on Sunday 24 June in the marquee at Caythorpe Cricket Club, in which many local suppliers will offer demonstrations and tastings along with foodie storytelling, talks, and stalls selling local produce.
The bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens is marked with a special Dickens Day on Thursday 28 June. Did you know that Oliver Twist was based on a boy called Robert Blincoe, apprenticed to work in a cotton mill in Lowdham?
The local roots of the event are brought to the fore in the Celebration of Nottinghamshire on Saturday 30 June, with local authors and books taking centre stage. This day also sees the launch of the Lowdham Festival Fringe, in which Nottinghamshire writers’ groups will be performing at hourly intervals at the Old Ship Inn.
The 2012 Lowdham Book Festival programme can be downloaded here (PDF, 2.1Mb), and the box office opens on Monday 21 May 2012, on 0115 966 3219