Annual book festival is going virtual for the first time

Book-lovers are being invited to get involved in a free book festival.

Sacristy Press and Durham Cathedral will co-host the Durham Book Festival Fringe programme, and for the first time, the events will be live-streamed globally.

Events will take place live on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter from 6.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Richard Hilton, co-founder of Sacristy Press, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for North East literary talent and creativity to be showcased across the globe.

"We have co-hosted Fringe events, as part of the Durham Book Festival, with Durham Cathedral for the past seven years but this is the first time the events will be livestreamed globally.”

Four authors–Simon Hewitt, Katherine Tiernan, Frances Ward and Jenny Wilson – will be speaking live to book-lovers around the world on everything from the life and legend of St Cuthbert in fiction, to the climate crisis and Marxism.

Simon Hewitt will talk about ‘Marxism and Christianity: Church and Revolution’ on Monday, at 6.30pm; Northumbrian novelist Katharine Tiernan will talk about ‘Legend and Literature: The life and death of Cuthbert through fiction’ on Wednesday, at 6.30pm.

Climate crisis will be the focus of the final event when Frances Ward will be joined from Australia by Jenny Wilson to talk about ‘Preaching for the Planet Like There’s No Tomorrow’ on Friday at 6.30pm.

No booking is required for these digital events. Simply follow Durham Cathedral (@ durhamcathedral) or Sacristy Press (@SacristyPress) on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. Viewers can ask questions.