It's hard to believe that a month has passed already (I guess it took me this long to recuperate), but now we find ourselves one month after the book festival. What a success this year's festival was indeed. With the support of other volunteers, we managed to run 17 events without a hitch, we're not counting me unable to turn the lights off in the New Hall. Shhh!
Many of us often complain that Tiverton lacks culture and community, but this is far from reality. Those individuals simply haven't discovered the amazing community we have here in Tiverton, whom I know very well as many of you are my customers and friends. It requires a significant number of optimistic and passionate individuals to organize a festival like the recent one, necessitating collaboration from various groups to bring things to fruition.
While I would love to write a full blog post expressing my gratitude to everyone, I have instead created a social media post for that purpose. It's now time to reflect on the festival's standout moments and look to future ideas.
We were honored to have Kate Mosse OBE as our headliner. Her professionalism was truly impressive as she entered the hall, exuding a confidence that she could captivate the audience with any topic. It was a stroke of luck for us to host one of the initial events on her tour for The Map of Bones, receiving the books two weeks before their official release. Our fortunate guests were even able to take a copy home for an early read, ahead of most of the UK. Quite a remarkable feat for our small town of Tiverton I must say!
Among the events I enjoyed the most was the Women of Mystery discussion. Jennie Godfrey, Fiona Williams and Meg Clothier were a dream team up on the stage. Moderator, Tara Fraser, merely had to prompt them before we were belly-laughing at their jokes and anecdotes. If you missed this event I feel I must ask you to seek them out at future talks, they were brilliant entertainment for the evening.
Another standout event at our festival was the Book Lover's Book Quiz, where Gary showcased his extensive knowledge of literature in a humorous manner. We all knew Robin Ince's team would win, Robin's knowledge will surpass even the greatest literary mind I am sure. However, second place were the Librarians, third were authors and fourth were the bookseller/librarian mixed team. Turns out, we do know our stuff when looking at books all day!
The festival commenced with Historical Writing Workshops at Ashley Court, followed by a presentation from Medievalist Amy Jeffs discussing her latest book Saints. The depth of information stored in her mind is remarkable, with the ability to recall stories and facts effortlessly. We chuckled at her wit and the evident delight she takes in imparting her expertise on medieval Britain.
My weekend was a whirlwind as I moved swiftly from one place to another on Friday and Saturday, making it hard for me to recall the sequence of events! It feels like a chaotic blur to me, but fortunately, attendees who were able to relax and take in the events provided lots of positive feedback. Authors delved into topics such as thatching, crafting with natural materials, bogs, ancient Celtic folklore, and more! From poetry to nature and travel writing, it was truly a wonderful two days at Ashley Court, a venue and family that holds a special place in my heart!
At Tiverton Library, two talented children's authors, Emma Carroll and Sophie Kirtley, held a captivating hour-long event attended by 240 children. Their stories and creativity mesmerized both the young audience and adults. We are privileged to offer these free events to the children in our town and express our thanks to the parents for supporting by purchasing books.
Concluding our festival, we were treated to talks by Miranda Seymour and Tara Fraser. Stepping into the event, I was struck by its quintessentially British atmosphere. A gentleman in a grey suit was playing the grand piano as small clusters of guests sipped tea from delicate china cups at bistro tables in the main room of Ashley Court. Home made apple cake was dished up as the conversation flowed. After Tara explained the story of Salma Vas Dias, who's artwork was on display in the room, we could all smell the ghost of tobacco before moving on to Blundell's school to hear from Emily Hauser.
Emily delivered a captivating presentation at the Ondaatje theatre, where students posed some excellent questions. Her profound understanding of the ancient world and the importance of feminist reinterpretations of Greek narratives is truly motivating.
In summary, the success of our 2024 festival was made possible by the grant we received from Mid Devon District Council's Love your town center fund. Should we decide to organize the book festival again next year, we will require funding once more, though there is no certainty that the council will be able to provide it. If you own a business and are interested in sponsoring next year's festival, please contact us - we would be delighted to hear from you.
Our community's support is essential for these events to take place. Consider attending an event that you wouldn't typically choose, as you might be pleasantly surprised. You could also purchase a book as a gift for a friend or simply enjoy a fun evening out in person! (Take a break from watching Strictly!) Buying tickets for Tiverton events well in advance greatly assists those organizing activities in our wonderful town. It significantly reduces stress levels, at the very least!
Volunteers are also encouraged to email us at tivbookfest@gmail.com.
Please tell us your favourite memories of the festival in the comments, we'd love to relive them with you.
Kayleigh Diggle- Liznojan Books
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