Exciting plans for literary festival in the Deepings

Plans are moving swiftly for a literary festival in the Deepings to be hosted next Spring, with something for the whole community.

Local authors gathered at the Deepings Library last week to officially launch the festival, which will take place from Thursday, April 27, until Monday, May 1.

A small committee made up of district councillors and members of the Friends of Deepings Library is in the throws of organising the festival and is speaking to a range of popular national authors to speak or do book signings. History book author Alison Weir is already confirmed.

The committee hope that on the Thursday and Friday of the festival, there will be children’s book authors speaking to local schools and that the festival will close on the Monday with a book pageant through the Deepings, with youngsters parading dressed as their favourite characters.

There are also plans for a Letters Live performance, where interesting letters are read and performed on stage. Organisers are looking for people in Lincolnshire with interesting letters that could be considered for the performance to get in touch.

The idea of the festival has already been brought before South Kesteven District Council, which organises the annual Gravity Fields Festival in Grantham and the bi-annual Georgian Festival in Stamford and while praising the success of these events, Deepings councillors Judy Stevens (Ind) and Phil Dilks (Lab) have highlighted the absence of a similar event for the Deepings.

Coun Stevens said the idea for the literary festival had been brought about as a result of the success of the Deepings Library since it was taken over by the Friends.

She said: “While there is that interest in the library, we hope to build on that and the library is doing very well at the moment.

“I think it would be exciting for the whole area, not just the Deepings, and it would be something the whole community can get involved in.

“We would hope to have a range of authors and events so there would be something for everyone.”

In order to fund the festival, the organisers have received a grant of up to £20,000 from South Kesteven District Council and is also seeking sponsorship for the event. Warners Midlands is one of the sponsors.

E-mail judy.stevens1@btopenworld.com if you have a letter you wish to be considered for Letters Live.

l Local author Debbie Daley, who wrote The Long Ears Legacy, will be at Deepings Library tomorrow from 1.30pm to 3.30pm hosting a free event for young people aged eight upward.

Debbie’s latest book is in the process of production and she is inviting young writers and artists to hear some of it and to work on developing the next chapter or designing the cover. She will give tips and sign copies of her books, some of which will be on sale.

Places are limited so email deepingscommunitylibrary@gmail.com to secure a place.