Faversham Literary Festival 2023 Line-up Revealed
Will Self, Joelle Taylor, Michael Palin, Tim Burgess, Garth Marenghi and Stella Duffy headline the festival
The Faversham Literary Festival (@favlitfest) has announced its line-up for 2023.
Headliners include Michael Palin, Maggie O'Farrell, Irvine Welsh, Esme Young (BBC Sewing Bee), Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Lady Brenda Hale, Will Self, The Charlatans front man Tim Burgess, former Irish fiction laureate Sebastian Barry, plus a return to Faversham from cheeky poet Hollie McNish.
Started in 2018, Faversham Literary Festival offers a week-long programme that is eclectic, thought-provoking and fun, with jam-packed events and plenty of rabble-rousing energy!
It offers an exciting mix of well-known authors, leading thinkers, up-and-coming writers, and local talent, plus writing competitions for all ages, workshops, spoken word, slam poetry, children's and family events. The quality and scope of the programme is what gets us excited and makes it a festival that people want to come to.
THIS YEAR…
Just some of the highlights include… On Thursday 23 February, an evening of spoken word in St Mary of Charity as Hollie McNish makes an exciting return to Faversham, with fellow poets Michael Pedersen and Cecilia Knapp.
On Friday 24 February, an evening of mercurial horror with cult comedy character Garth Marenghi, whose sell-out tour now includes Faversham!
Fun for all the family, award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph will be returning to Faversham, and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock will be answering all the big and little questions curious youngsters might have about the universe...
On music, the Charlatans' frontman Tim Burgess will be talking about his online Listening Parties and accompanying books; John Higgs on James Bond and the Beatles; Simon Williams on music, mental health and how not to run a record label; Will Hodgkinson on perfect pop harmonies from the 1970s; plus a musical performance from Geoff Sandiford and his band on Arden of Faversham.
The full festival line-up for February is on the website.
Tickets are now available for Friends of the Festival, and will be on general release from 9am on Wednesday 23 December: www.favershamliteraryfestival.org
Quickly becoming known as one of the stand-out Literary festivals in the South East, Faversham has previously welcomed authors such as Joanne Harris, Tim Marshall, John Cooper Clarke, Keith Brymer Jones, Hollie McNish, Michael Rosen, Jenni Murray, Lemn Sissay, Deborah Levy, Martin Bell, Jo Brand, Will Self, Lionel Shriver, Sarah Perry, Jenny Eclair, John Hegley, Tracey Thorn, Iain Sinclair, Gavin Esler, Viv Albertine, Stephen Morris, Melissa Harrison, Horatio Clare, Bobby Gillespie and many more.
The festival works with two local charities, hosting specific events to help raise funds for Abbey Physic Community Garden, and Faversham and Villages Refugee Solidarity Group. We run a schools' outreach programme with creative competitions for children and students, and offering opportunities for young adults to get involved.
