We are just one week away from the start of our fabulous SCRIBE festival in Middlewich, Cheshire. You may have heard about Middlewich recently, as the town hosted the Loyal Company of Town Criers Championship competition. Well, just as the dust settles from the party of the criers, we are about to kick it up again as we celebrate SCRIBE.

Are you a writer? Do you enjoy books and reading? Well then, this is the festival for you. We have a wonderful selection of guest authors for you to meet and talk with, all appearing on Saturday, October 17th. You can find them on our Writers in the Real World panel over in the Boatyard Artspace, and at Book Bites in Middlewich Civic Hall. Our authors write a bit of everything, from romance to horror, true stories about ship wrecks, to local myth and magic. You are sure to have an enchanting time!

And that’s not all. For the children, we have the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party hosted by professional storyteller John Kirk. Fancy dress is optional but highly recommended… Following the tea party, you and your children can join in with an illustration workshop. Our resident artist Ian Hill-Smith teams up with children’s writer Philip Latham for a blind drawing exercise that will be very entertaining and offer lots of interactive fun.

Then there are the wonderful workshops on offer. All day Saturday you can try your hand at writing poetry, writing for radio and writing non-fiction. All workshops are available on a booking basis, and you are advised to book your tickets as soon as possible, since we have chosen small, intimate venues to enhance your writing experience. Throughout the week we have a variety of events happening during the evening, including “Jane Austen, Money and Marriage” hosted by Elizabeth Williams, and Read Dating at Middlewich Library. There are events at local pubs featuring Miles Hunt from the Wonderstuff, and John Lindley with “Reel to Real.”

SCRIBE begins on Monday 12th October with a launch party at Drinks and Bites café, and it will be broadcast live on Red Shift Radio. On Thursday, 15th October, you are invited to our Short Story Awards Evening at Middlewich Town Hall, where you can read the best of our story entries, and cheer on our talented young writers as they receive their prizes. Come along and join us, and bring your friends!