HomeArts & LifestyleThe Althorp Literary Festival returns this October

The Althorp Literary Festival returns this October

Mark your calendars for 5th to 8th October 2017 as The Althorp Literary Festival returns for 2017.

Taking place at Althorp House in Northamptonshire, the festival is set to welcome over 40 best-selling authors, opinion leaders, comedians, poets, storytellers, stars of stage and screen and household favourites, to provoke discussion, debate, laughter and tears, engaging and enthusing the audience.

This year’s festival is being held in partnership with The Week and is supported by the University of Northampton, A.T. Cross, Kindle Direct Publishing, Chelton Brown, Nyetimber and Waterstones.

Other sponsors include Avery Healthcare, Carter Jonas, Smith & Williamson, Stamford Notebook Company and Winser London.

The Althorp Literary Festival has been around for 13 years and during that time it has hosted more than 300 special guests including Julian Fellowes, Sebastian Faulks, Sophie Dahl, Michael Palin, Darcey Bussell, Julian Clary, Sir Tom Stoppard, Jung Chang, Bill Bryson, Mervyn King, Boris Johnson and Twiggy.

The line-up for 2017 is currently being finalised but speakers already confirmed for include: business guru Lord Digby Jones; award-winning broadcaster, journalist and author Clare Balding OBE; cake-maker to the stars Mich Turner; festival favourite The Reverend Richard Coles; best selling author Kathy Lette, co-founder of the English Shakespeare Company Michael Pennington; former BBC breakfast presenter Sian Williams; British perfumer and founder of Jo Malone London and Jo Loves, Jo Malone MBE; Newsnight presenter Evan Davies; authors, historians and TV presenters Dan Jones and Kate Williams; personality and populariser of mathematics Johnny Ball; newspaper columnists and writers A.N Wilson and Joanna Moorhead; Only Fools and Horses’ John Challis ask Boycie; first-time children’s author Jess Butterworth and Scottish tennis coach, and mother to World Tennis Champions Jamie and Andy Murray, Judy Murray.

This year’s festival will also introduce a Children’s Literary Festival for children aged 8-12 years old. That will take place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th October and is sponsored by Sheaffer and in partnership with First for Wellbeing and Northamptonshire County Council.

The Festival will also feature pop-up retailer outlets, live music, poetry performances, bird displays and a variety of delicious food and drink vendors. It will also be the final time the two spectacular 2017 season exhibitions, Diana, Princess of Wales and Walking in Her Shoes, can be viewed at Althorp.

Tickets to the Festival will be on-sale in August and prices start from Ā£10. Visit www.althorpliteraryfestival.com for more information.

Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip is the owner and Editor of Entertainment Focus, and the Managing Director of PiƱata Media. With over 19 years of journalism experience, Pip has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world. He is also a qualified digital marketing expert with over 20 years of experience.

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