Festival of Literature only a weekend away

By Barrie Hudson - 2 May 2025

Arts and CultureAttractions

The 2025 Swindon Festival of Literature begins on Monday 5 May with the traditional Dawn Chorus from 5.30am at Lawn Woods.

Farm Yard Circus performers will kick things off at the free event with fire and fun, while storyteller Steve Mynard will take listeners to places only a good story can.
Zimbabwean multi-instrumentalist Tawanda Mapanda will bring a blend of marimba, vocals, and audience participation to proceedings, before Tony Hillier and magical musical friends make Maypole ribbons fly.   
A spokesperson said: "As the sun rises over sleeping Swindon, this all-weather outdoor event celebrates the blessings bestowed on us by Nature and the start of this year’s 32nd Swindon Festival of Literature!"
The Dawn Chorus is the first event of a packed festival programme which includes:

- On Tuesday 6 May Oxford University Professor Sir Muir Gray will be talking about his book 'Sod 70!' about ageing better and living longer at Swindon Arts Centre at 12.30pm.

- On Wednesday 7 May, Swindon's Town Gardens will host Pop-up Poetry in the park hosted by Swindon community poet Tony Hillier from 11am.

- At 12.30pm on the same day, author Harriet Hitchen will be talking about her book Swindon Mountain where a 'mountain' appears unexpectedly overlooking the town.

- Professor Richard Dawkins will be discussing his latest book The Genetic Book of the Dead, an exploration of the untapped potential of DNA to transform our understanding of evolution, at a talk at Swindon Arts Centre on Devizes Road on Wednesday 7 May at 6.30pm.

- On Thursday 8 May at 12.30pm at the Arts Centre, local writer John Ciullimore will be holding a talk called 'Swindon Seen - Through Fact and Fiction, Past and Present' where he will talk about some of Swindon's stories and storymakers including The Hammerman Poet, Aflred Williams.

- On Friday 9 May, people will have a chance to catch a comedy double helping at Swindon Arts Centre with Ivo Graham at 6.30pm and Alistair McGowan at 8pm.

- A Writers and Readers Day will take place at Swindon Hub on Saturday 10 May from 10.30am to 4.30pm, which will include talks, a book fair and creative writing workshops.

- The Festival Finale takes place at 7pm on Sunday 11 May at Swindon Arts Centre and features a feast of stories, poems, songs, acrobatics, circus, wordplay and much more.

Full details of the festival can be found at https://www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk/

 

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