Tower and Town, September 2024 (view the full edition)EditorialFifteen years on from the first Marlborough LitFest in 2010, there's a celebratory mood in town. Thanks to the foresight and dedication of a small group of bookish folk back then, several of them still involved, Marlborough can play host to an ever more star-studded cast of authors for its festival each autumn. The aim has been to add depth to the main four days of LitFest with writers to appeal to all ages and tastes, more workshops and even a walk in Savernake Forest this year. Most important are an increasing number of free activities for families including the second year of the popular Once Upon a Trail for children to find book clues in Marlborough's shop windows. The LitFest committee is very grateful to have significant local support through sponsorship, an expanding Friends scheme and, vital to its success, a burgeoning troop of enthusiastic volunteers. We are delighted to be returning to The Merchant's House with a storytelling session for adults and to be holding events at St Peter's Church for the first time. Our partnership with The Parade Cinema continues with a special Big Book Quiz and Street Storytellers for children in their courtyard. Some of the biggest names this year have already sold out (stop press: more tickets have just gone on sale for Sir Simon Russell Beale - buy now while you still can!) but, with well over 40 events in total, there are plenty more on offer, a few of which we are previewing here. You might also like to dip into the books to be featured at The White Horse Bookshop or Marlborough Library. Marlborough LitFest runs from 26 to 29 September. The programme is available at the White Horse Bookshop, Marlborough Library and on marlboroughlitfest.org. The box office is now open: you can buy tickets in The White Horse Bookshop, phone TicketSource on 0333 666 3366 or visit marlboroughlitfest.org/tickets. Genevieve Clarke, LiFest Chair |