First city book festival to be held next month

National Centre for Writing chief executive Peggy Hughes and The Forum's marketing manager Rowan Whiteside say they hope the festival will help bring "books alive"

A book festival that aims to celebrate the rich literary heritage of a city will take place for the first time next month.

Norwich Book Festival will host a number of award-winning authors and events from 24 to 27 October in a place chosen as England's first UNESCO City of Literature back in 2012.

The four-day event has been put together by The Forum, which has worked with the city's National Centre for Writing and University of East Anglia (UEA).

"We're a city of readers and writers... and we were excited to work with such fantastic partners to bring the book festival to Norwich and also to bring something nice in autumn," said Rowan Whiteside from The Forum. "Autumn is a good time to read."

A weekend of events will be held at The Forum in Norwich city centre

Ms Whiteside said the idea of the festival had come about partly because of the Forum Trust's recently-appointed boss Chris Gribble.

"[Chris] was formerly the chief executive at the National Centre for Writing, so that felt like a great moment with all of Chris’ knowledge about books and literature in the city," said the marketing manager.

The festival will feature an "absolutely huge programme" of more than 35 activities, including free and "affordably priced" events, Ms Whiteside said.

Highlights will include Private Eye writer Craig Brown talking about his Queen Elizabeth II biography, a spooky Halloween special called Of The Flesh with authors Michel Faber, Louisa Young, and Irenosen Okojie, and writer Julie Summers discussing her celebration of British Vogue.

Events will be held at The Forum in the city centre and local bookshops, with others staged at the National Centre for Writing at Dragon Hall in King Street.

Its chief executive Peggy Hughes said the inaugural festival was a way to celebrate its work in the city, as well as that of the renowned creative writing courses at the UEA.

"The UEA is a powerhouse of producing these amazing talents," she said.

"Looking at some of the names, some of them have come through that very programme, which is very exciting.

"We are blessed in this part of the world for excellent writers and literary translators.

"We have heaps of book activity across the city and county... [and] a festival is a very special vehicle which brings readers and writers together in a uniquely exciting, serendipitous, spontaneous way."