Swindon Festival of Literature
Where: Lawn Woods, High Street, Old Town SN1 3EN or Online (Depending on the event)
When: 3rd - 9th May 2021
We're changing things up for 2021 and going back to our original name, Swindon Festival of Literature!
We are going ahead with our festival plans, following roadmap guidelines so events will mostly be online, but very lively!
Programme launch imminent! It will be a celebration of spring, life, and Literature!
Monday 3rd May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Dawn Chorus Lawn Woods, High Street, Old Town SN1 3EN 5.30am!
- Michael McCarthy On spring in the time of coronavirus. 12.30pm
- Eileen Jones On how parkrun has changed lives. 2pm
- Anita Sethi On a journey of reclamation in a natural landscape of England. 6pm
- Sam Lee With stories of a special songbird. 7.30pm
Tuesday 4th May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Melanie Challenger On How to Be Animal. 12midday
- Candle Magic A writing workshop on candles and magic. 6pm LIVE ONLINE
- Blake Morrison On the role of Literature today. 6.30pm
- Jasper Fforde On how it could take a rabbit to teach a human, humanity. 8pm
Wednesday 5th May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Lennie Goodings On four decades of groundbreaking publishing. 12midday
- Mike Pringle On a unique vision of our natural world. 2pm
- Jon McGregor On Lean, Fall, Stand, in conversation with Sara-Jane Arbury. 4pm
- Ella Al-Shamahi On hugs, handshakes, and pressing the flesh. 5pm
- Catherine Okoronkwo With a compelling mix of poetry and prose. 6pm
- Megan Nolan On Acts of Desperation, in conversation with Allie Brown. 7pm
- Natalie Haynes On remarkable women at the heart of Greek myths. 8pm
- Kevin Toolis On the eternal challenge of mortality. 9pm
Thursday 6th May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Miranda Sawyer On the role of radio today. 12midday
- Dream Adventures Guided visualisation plus the power of dreams. 6pm LIVE ONLINE
- Rachel Clarke With a love letter to life. 6.30pm
- Tony Hillier On community poetry and Swindon Diamonds. 7pm LIVE ONLINE
- Simon May On one family's story of exile and belonging. 8pm
Friday 7th May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Rowan Williams On Looking East in Winter. 12midday LIVE ONLINE
- The Bruderhof Another Life is Possible. 2pm
- Ollivier Pourriol On The French art of not trying too hard. 6pm
- Anthony Costello On the power of sympathy groups. 8pm LIVE ONLINE
Saturday 8th May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Circus Skills & Discoveries A new circus-science show. 10am
- Tishani Doshi With poems that span time and continents. 11am
- Sally Bayley With a story of Shakespeare and a family's missing men. 12midday LIVE ONLINE
- Festival Writing Workshop With Victoria Gosling. 2-4pm LIVE ONLINE
- Paddy Fitzpatrick & Lee Simpson On life and learning, on the inside of boxing. 5pm
- John Gimlette On fantastical landscapes, beguiling creatures, and isolated tribes. 6pm
- Richard Durrant In concert, with Sumer Is Icumen In. 7pm LIVE ONLINE
Sunday 9th May
For full details of today's events, click here.
- Circus Skills & Discoveries A new circus-science show. 10am
- Liz Hyder On Bearmouth, in conversation with Sara-Jane Arbury. 10.30am
- Adharanand Finn On how to run, run, as far as you can. 11am LIVE ONLINE
- Zoom Boom Games With Darine Flanagan. 12midday LIVE ONLINE
- Suffering for your art Poetry-writing workshop with Sara-Jane Arbury. 2pm LIVE ONLINE
- Claudia Hammond On The Art of Rest. 6pm
- Where Magic Hides A fizzy ideas workshop for families. 6pm LIVE ONLINE
- Richard Thompson On Beeswing: Fairport, Folk Rock, and finding his voice. 7pm
- Sarah Yaseen With music, words, and more music, to embrace the world. 8pm
- L'Appel du Vide Performed by Aimee Bennett and Rowen K, & filmed by Rowan Virgo. 8.30pm
- Round and About, in Swindon With the Farm Yard Circus. 9pm
- Festival Finale final curtain . . . with words from its workers, and a distinctive sound. 9pm