Offering an unmissable weekend celebration for the whole family, Gloucester Cathedral will host the very first Wordfest this summer, featuring everything from music and poetry to storytelling and talks.
Sponsored by Gloucester Quays, and partnered with Waterstones Gloucester and Gloucester Brewery, Wordfest runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 July 2018, encompassing a variety of ticketed and free events.
SoGlos has rounded up its highlights below. For more information visit gloucestercathedral.org.uk directly.
Ticketed events – Friday 6 July
The first day of Wordfest promises to get things off to a great start, with an impressive programme of talks, tours, music and more on offer, taking visitors from history to Hogwarts.
Join Cathedral Library Tours to see literary gems including copies of Chaucer and Shakespeare, and explore the collection of rare books and manuscripts.
In the theatre marquee, Rosamund Young will discuss her internationally-acclaimed book The Secret Lives of Cows; and Dr Margaret C. Jones talks about Founder, Fighter, Saxon Queen: Aethelflaed, focusing on her contributions to the rebuilding of Gloucester.
Other highlights include illustrated talking tour A Life in the Movies: from 007 to Platform 9¾ with special effects director John Richardson; and a performance from singer-songwriter Johnny Coppin.
Ticketed events – Saturday 7 July
Saturday celebrates homegrown talent, with the line-up featuring a great selection of writers based across Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds, along with live music and poetry events throughout the day.
Things begin with a special Desert Island Discs, when Gloucester Cathedral’s director of music Adrian Partington shares his chosen discs.
Award-winning author Rachel Joyce will be interviewed during The Music Shop and Other Stories; while bestselling writer Diane Setterfield will discuss Reader and Writer: The Double Life of a Novelist. Meanwhile McEwan at the Movies sees actor Patrick Baladi perform readings from Ian McEwan’s novels, punctuated by live music.
Budding poets are invited to enjoy Poetry, Pie and a Pint, a pop-up masterclass in the evening; and stand-up poet and comedian Elvis McGonagall will perform in the Community Tent.
Ticketed events – Sunday 8 July
Sunday will be centred around peace and reconciliation in commemoration of the centenary of the Armistice, as well as celebrating the centenary of the Suffragettes.
Women of the War sees a discussion between authors Margaret Dickinson and Liz Trenow; while Women’s Lives and Women’s Rights, Past, Present and Future welcomes Helen Pankhurst who’ll reflect on to women’s lives since the right to a parliamentary vote was granted.
Authors Andrew Taylor and Emma Flint will appear for Long Shadows: Crime Fiction and History, discussing the pitfalls of writing historical fiction based on real people and events.
A light-hearted event, Between Friends – A Life in Comedy features comedy writers Sue Limb and Jon Canter as they look back on their years of friendship.
Free family and community events
Gloucester Cathedral Wordfest offers a variety of free, family-friendly events to ensure that the whole community can join in the fun.
On Friday Adam Henson will talk about his work at Cotswold Farm Park during informal after school event From Country Life to Countryfile; while there will also be a Creative Writing Course with writer Rick Vick.
Saturday will offer Stonemason Demonstrations; Workshops with Hannah Shaw: Children’s Writer and Illustrator; and entertainment with The Midnight Storytellers that’s sure to delight youngsters.
And on Sunday, get creative during Suffragette Banner Making; head to a Storytelling Workshop for all Beginners; and join Marsha Dermott to enjoy readings from her novel Time Passages.
For more information visit gloucestercathedral.org.uk directly.
