Budleigh Literary Festival 'evening of words and music'

From seashore entertainment to stormy swells, from calm coves to treacherous fishing grounds, will all take place throughout the weekend of September 14-18.

Tickets for the festival have been selling quickly, with authors Simon Reeve, Jeremy Bowen, Pam Ayres and Dame Sheila Hancock already sold out.

'The Sea, The Sea' will be performed at St Peter’s Church at 7.30pm on Thursday, September 15, featuring readings from Antiques Roadshow presenter Ronnie Archer-Morgan, chair of the festival committee Sue Briggs, festival interviewer Tim Hubbard, author Chloe Timms and writer Julia Wheeler, alongside musical pieces.

It will also feature the distinctive voice of BBC Radio 4’s Zeb Soanes. The readings have been curated by Tim, a former presenter on BBC Radio Cornwall.

His chosen readings are taken from the work of writers as varied as Shakespeare, Philip` Larkin, Henry Longfellow and Spike Milligan, with music from the Devon-based Clifton Trio including a piece by the award-winning composer Annabel Rooney, specially commissioned for the event.

Sue Briggs, chair of Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, said: “Our festival strapline is ‘celebrating books by the sea’, so this event, which takes place in the beautiful setting of St Peter’s Church, feels very appropriate and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming people to it.”

This year the festival is also staging a Beach Hut Book Swap. Throughout the week, festivalgoers can drop into the beach hut and swap a book they’ve loved with one they’d like to read.

As part of its commitment to the community, the Festival is offering all of its children’s and family events for free, or from just £1. The Mini Marquee on the Green will be buzzing with free drop-in events to mark the Queen's Jubilee celebrating 70 years of children's books.

For a full festival line-up, visit the Budleigh Literary Festival website here - https://budlitfest.org.uk/events/

Tickets are available at www.budlitfest.org.uk.