First festival has lit up Burnley

Authors, poets, performers and artists have made the first ever Burnley Literary Festival a best seller.
Best selling crime fiction author Neil White prepares to host An Evening With.. as part of the first Burnley Literary Festival.Best selling crime fiction author Neil White prepares to host An Evening With.. as part of the first Burnley Literary Festival.
Best selling crime fiction author Neil White prepares to host An Evening With.. as part of the first Burnley Literary Festival.

Hundreds of people flocked to the dozens of attractions laid on throughout the 10 day family focused event from best selling authors, storytelling, poetry, community theatre, street performers, crafts, music, tea parties and reading groups.

And there is still time to catch the festival as events are running until Monday.

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Catherine Price, Burnley and Padiham Town Centre Manager, said the public response to the festival had been “fantastic.’’ She said: “So many people have said what a great event this has been and something that Burnley has needed for a long time.

“The feedback has been positive in so many ways, with people enjoying attending events and also being given the chance to try something new or re-discover a talent or hobby they may have lost.”

Burnley Council has worked closely with the Library, Burnley Youth Theatre, Burnley College and with partners across the town centre to organise the festival which has brought literature to life.

Tomorrow (Friday) has a Roald Dahl theme to it with a series of events celebrating the great author. These include BTec students from Burnley College bringing his stories to life in a pop up storytelling carousel using acting, movement and singing in the town centre from 10am to 4pm in the town centre.

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Burnley Youth Theatre will be inviting people to dress as their favourite Dahl character for a photo shoot from 11am to 1pm and a shared reading group focusing on Dahl;s work will take place at Burnley Library at 2-30pm.

Three award winning authors are coming to town on Saturday - Colin Goodwin from Padiham, the Ribble Valley's Tara Guha and Liz Flanagan who hails from Yorkshire and Burnley Mechanics is to stage a show with a difference called Seductive Stories from Italy featuring internationally acclaimed storyteller Cat Wetherill.

Entertainers from all fields are invited to take part in an open mic night at the Paddock in Hammerton Street on Saturday night.

Shakespeare comes to town on Saturday when Burnley Youth Theatre will perform street theatre around the town centre and a variety of poetry, music and storytelling sessions will take place over Sunday and Monday.

For information about times and venues go to burnleyliteraryfestival.co.uk.

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