Literary Llandeilo springs to life
FROM Friday, April 28, to Sunday, April 30, Llandeilo will come alive with two festivals: the annual Llandeilo Lit Fest and the linked Pottery Fest at the Lit Fest, which takes place on April 29. Running in venues throughout the town, the literature festival brings together authors, poets and songwriters from across Wales for talks, readings and performances.
This year’s event celebrates some of Wales’ best new literature and writers.
“A wealth of outstanding literature comes out of Wales - so many different books are published in Wales every year,” says festival press officer (and author and ceramicist) Kate Glanville.
“The books we represent on the whole are books by Welsh authors published this year or late last year. It’s a really good way for people to find out what’s about and also listen to and join in some good discussions that will really get people thinking.”
Non-fiction highlights include rugby referee and Weekend columnist Nigel Owens talking about his life, plus TV’S Great Pottery Throw Down’s Keith Brymer Jones.
“As Keith has recently been on the latest series of pottery throw down, he’s got a lot of fans and tickets sold out very quickly, but he will be doing a book signing in the Little Welsh Dresser, a shop which sells his pottery, so even if you missed the chance to get a ticket, you will still be able to see him,” says Kate.
As always fiction will be well represented at the festival. Welsh Book of the Year winner Caryl Lewis will introduce her love story Drift (set in Wales and Syria), Costa Award finalist Rebecca F John will discuss her new novel, Vulcana.
“It’s a lovely book about a real-life Victorian Welsh strong woman called Vulcana, who came from Llanelli and travelled the world lifting heavy weights,” says Kate.
“She had nine children and used to still be performing her weight-lifting act, even when she was heavily pregnant. Rebecca has written a fictionalised story of her life.
“We’ve also got Sian Collins, whose new book, Tiding, is inspired by a Carmarthenshire murder in the 1950s.”
On top of that, Sunday Times recommended author Jane Jesmond will be talking about her fast-paced crime novels and novelists Katie Munnik and Katherine Stansfield will discuss Victorian women’s hidden histories in fact and fiction.
Western Mail Welsh Affairs Editor Will Hayward’s book Independent Nation examines Welsh independence and Dros Ryddid explores the right to protest in Wales.
Art historian Peter Lord and music historian Rhian Davies will discuss how music has shaped and defined Wales, while Isabel Adonis will examine racial diversity in Wales.
Eisteddfod-winning artist Julia Griffiths Jones will be talking about Hon, which celebrates contemporary Welsh women artists, and Wyn Mason and Efa Blosse-mason will be the first graphic novelists to appear at the festival, discussing Gwlad yr Asyn, which explores identity and self-image through the eyes of a donkey.
Amateur rugby is the topic for Andy Hill’s All Shapes and Zebras and professional rugby for Alun Gibbard’s Who Beat the All Blacks. Wales’ 2022 football team’s fans are celebrated in Ffion Eluned Morgan’s book Y Wal Goch.
Nature writer and artist James Roberts shares his journey through the Welsh wilderness, whilst Sharon Morgan discusses what it’s like to be a well-known actress and a mother and Dai Smith shares his journey from valleys boy to renowned academic and artist.
The talks and events will take place all over the town including Hengwrt, The White Hart, Oriel Mimosa and The Civic Hall.
“We’re also really excited to have joined forces with Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival to have a storytelling evening on the Friday evening with various Welsh storytellers, and a musical accompaniment by Owen Shiers,” adds Kate.
Llandeilo Lit Fest began in 2016 as a book fair organised by Christoph Fischer, who is now chair of the festival. It became a festival proper in 2017 and shortly afterwards the Covid pandemic caused the festival to be cancelled in 2020 and take place as an online event in 2021.
“Last year was our first year back in person, but it was a hybrid event – half on Zoom and half in person,” says Kate. “It was quite small, because we weren’t sure if people would want to come out for a book festival. This year, we’re really back with a bang, which is brilliant. We have over 25 authors talking from Friday onwards and we’re using various venues around the town.
Fischer is equally delighted that the festival is back in full force. “I’m so proud that we’re back with a bonanza of brilliant books for 2023,” he says.
“The return of evening events and our presence all over town will add to Llandeilo’s appeal as a
As Keith has recently been on the latest series of pottery throw down, he’s got a lot of fans and tickets sold out very quickly
bank holiday weekend destination. Joio!”
Pottery Fest at The Lit Fest on Saturday, April 29, will feature potters and an opportunity to throw a pot and have some fun with clay.
“It will be really exciting and will add something to the festivals to have a satellite mini festival going on alongside it,” says Kate.
There will also be Welsh folk tales from roving
storyteller Ceri Philips in various cafés. Creative writing, poetry workshops and gigs will take place around the town and there will also be a talk on music and lyrics, and a performance from celebrated Welsh musician Neil Rosser with his rockabilly band Pwdin Reis.
Llandeilo’s restaurants and cafes will have special menus – some with a literary theme. The Hengwrt will host The Llandeilo Lit Fest bookshop where all of the featured books and more will be for sale.
“The whole town gets involved – all the shops and businesses,” says Kate. “It’s a unique and exciting festival and we can’t wait.”
■ The full line-up and tickets are available from www.llandeilolitfest.org