Whitby Welcomes Literary Legends to Its First-Ever Book Bash!

Whitby, a picturesque town on the North Yorkshire coast, is preparing to host its very first annual book festival, the Whitby Lit Fest. This exciting event will bring together some of the biggest names in literature, including Lee Child, Miriam Margolyes, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, and Steph McGovern. These well-known authors and personalities will be the headline speakers at the festival, which runs from Thursday to Sunday. The festival is expected to attract book lovers from all over, eager to hear from their favorite writers and discover new ones.

The Whitby Lit Fest will feature more than sixty authors who will participate in talks, interviews, and other events throughout the four days. The main venue for the festival is the Hetty and Betty fish and chips restaurant on Baxtergate, which will serve as the headquarters for the activities. Lois Kirtlan, the chair of the festival committee, expressed her excitement about the impressive lineup of guests. She explained that the team simply reached out to the authors, hoping they would agree to participate. 'The worst they could say was no, so it was a case of just asking them,' she said. Kirtlan is proud of what the team has accomplished and is looking forward to welcoming everyone to Whitby.

Some of the festival's events are expected to draw large crowds, with up to 350 people attending certain talks. Fiona Duncan from the Whitby Bookshop described the festival as a 'fabulous opportunity' for the town and its residents. She is thrilled to see so many people coming together to celebrate literature. Whitby has a rich literary tradition, having inspired famous authors such as Bram Stoker, Lewis Carroll, and Charles Dickens. Sir Alan Ayckbourn, a celebrated playwright who has won both Olivier and Tony awards, said the festival was 'waiting to happen' and called it 'amazingly ambitious' for its first year. He will be interviewed by author and former BBC Radio 4 producer Kate Fenton during the festival. The organizers hope that the Whitby Lit Fest will become a beloved annual event, bringing together readers and writers in a town known for its love of stories.