Appledore Book Festival

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Art Exhibition. St. Mary's Hall, Appledore
Friday 16 to Tuesday 20 September - smaller exhibition
Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 September - enhanced exhibition

A New Atlantic Wave
When J.M.W. Turner drew sketches along the North Devon coast in 1811 little could he have imagined the same landscape would now be the home of a new Atlantic wave of artists and makers. This new generation of largely women creatives have taken his landscape tradition and his later experimental nature to address contemporary visions inspired by the landscape, and things found in it.

The ‘New Atlantic Wave’ artists and makers draw their inspiration from the same sources but strike out in very different directions. See the first collection of the ‘New Atlantic Wave’ artists at the Appledore Book Festival Art Exhibition, part of Devon Open Studios and viewable at www.artmakers.uk/exhibition/

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Behind the Scenes with the Fishing Folk of Appledore

Thursday 15 September 2022
10:00am - 11:30am
Tickets £8
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Starting at Appledore Fish Dock, hear about the past and present of Appledore’s fishing and mussel farming. This event is kindly hosted by The Devon and Cornwall Fish Company Ltd.

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Show and Tell by Local Seafaring Charities

Thursday 15 September 2022
12.00pm - 1:15pm
Admission FREE
No need to obtain a ticket - just turn up
In response to our very first Seafaring Day, a number of local seafaring charities will be on hand to tell you about their work and perhaps pass on some tales of derring-do!

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Maritime Heritage on the Torridge Estuary

Thursday 15 September 2022
1.30pm - 2:30pm
Ticket: £8
This talk, by local heritage charity Way of the Wharves, explores the various activities that shaped the economy of the Torridge estuary.

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From Titanic to Tomorrow, with Harland & Wolff (Appledore)

Thursday 15 September 2022
3.00pm - 4:00pm
Ticket: £8
Tom Hart, the General Manager at Harland & Wolff (Appledore) will lead a presentation on the history of Harland & Wolff, their purpose in acquiring Appledore Shipyard, current projects and future plans.

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Friends VIP Drinks Reception (incl. Robert Harris ticket)

Thursday 15 September 2022
6.30pm - 7:15pm
Ticket: £22 (to include VIP ticket for the Robert Harris event)
A 'Friends Only' event - Please enter your Voucher Code to access.

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Robert Harris - Act of Oblivion

Thursday 15 September 2022
7.30pm - 8:30pm
Ticket: £14
Award winning writer Robert Harris is the author of fourteen bestselling novels. His work has been translated into forty languages and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. We are delighted to welcome Robert back to the Appledore Book Festival and thrilled he has agreed to be our opening event to talk about his latest novel, Act of Oblivion.

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Seafaring Supper at The Beaver Inn

Thursday 15 September 2022
8.30pm - 11:00pm (food served from 9pm)
Ticket: £32
A seafood supper provided by local fisheries at the historic Beaver Inn in the seafaring heart of Appledore. Continuing the day’s theme, Seafaring Past, Present & Future, what could be better than sampling the delights of a locally landed seafood platter brought to your table and shared with friends both old and new.

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Katherine MacInnes - Snow Widows

Friday 16th September 2022
10.00am - 11:00am
Ticket: £10
Katherine MacInnes retells the story of the race for the South Pole from the perspective of the women whose lives would be forever changed by it. Robert Falcon Scott and the men of his polar expedition were heroes of their age, enduring tremendous hardships to further the reputation of the empire they served.

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Rupal Patel - From CIA to CEO

Friday 16 September 2022
11.45am - 12:45pm
Ticket: £10
The daughter of Indian immigrants, Rupal Patel is a native New Yorker now living near London. Her high-octane career has taken her from the jungles of Colombia and war zones in Afghanistan, to the gilded halls of NATO Headquarters and Capitol Hill. After a thrilling career at the CIA, she earned her MBA and started two successful businesses.

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VIP Lunch at The Royal George with Champagne, Music and Fine Dining

Friday 16 September 2022
12.00pm - 3:00pm
Ticket: £40
An exclusive two-course fine-dining lunch, at The Royal George Appledore, including champagne and music.

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Andrew Lownie - Traitor King

Friday 16 September 2022
1.30pm - 2:30pm
Ticket: £10
Drawing upon newly released archives, bestselling biographer Andrew Lownie tells the story of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s glittering lives after Edward abdicated the throne – a world that was riddled with treachery and betrayal.

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Iain Dale - On this Day in Politics

Friday 16 September 2022
3.15pm - 4:15pm
Ticket: £10
On This Day in Politics is an informative, accessible and opinionated book on key moments in British political history that have occurred on every day from 1 January through to 31 December.

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Poetry Writing Workshop

Friday 16 September 2022
4.00pm - 5:30pm
Ticket: £10
Write your own Appledore inspired poem using influences from the local landscape and nature.

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Louise Candlish - The Heights

Friday 16 September 2022
5.30pm - 6:30pm
Ticket: £12
Louise Candlish is the Sunday Times bestselling author of fifteen novels. Her 2018 thriller Our House has sold over 250,000 copies in the UK. It is now a major ITV drama series starring Martin Compston, Tuppence Middleton and Rupert Penry-Jones. The Other Passenger is a Sunday Times bestseller in paperback and has also sold over 250,000 copies in the UK to date.

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Spoken Word Workshop

Friday 16 September 2022
6.00pm - 7:30pm
Ticket: £10
Explore spoken word styles and learn to write poetry for reading out loud. Workshop led by Jonathan Mason.

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Celebrating Poetry and the Spoken Word

Friday 16 September 2022
7.30pm - 9:00pm
FREE EVENT - No ticket needed, just turn up
Watch, listen and enjoy the Festival’s Spoken Word Open Mic Event.

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Ronnie Archer-Morgan - Would it Surprise You to Know?

Friday 16 September
7.30pm - 8:30pm
Ticket: £12
Antiques Roadshow expert, Ronnie Archer-Morgan has brought to life the fascinating, often surprising backstories behind our most cherished heirlooms and household objects. Now, he tells his own unlikely story.

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Ghost Walk with Terry Bailey

Friday 16 September 2022 - This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Friday 23 September 2022
8:30pm - 10:00pm
Ticket: £7
Appledore is full of ghosts if you know where to look. As darkness falls, let Terry Bailey guide you through Appledore’s winding lanes, alleys and churchyard, with their stories of haunting and unexplained happenings.

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Cathy Rentzenbrink - Write It All Down

Saturday 17 September 2022
10.00am - 11:00am
Ticket: £10
Cathy Rentzenbrink is the bestselling author of the The Last Act of Love, one of the most powerful memoirs of the past decade. In Write it All Down, Cathy looks at how we can identify and overcome everything that gets in our way. She offers tips for would-be writers of all levels, and shares advice from a variety of well-known authors.

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Crabbing Competition - Appledore Pirates

Saturday 17 September 2022
10.00am - 11:00am
Ticket: £4 per Team - PAY ON THE DAY
Join us for the return of our annual 'Festival Crabbing Competition'.

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Local Authors Day 2022 - Author Showcase: Talks , Book Sales and Writing Advice

Saturday 17 September 2022
10.00am - 3:00pm
Ticket: £5 day pass (children free)
This year’s Local Authors Day will bring you a variety of award-winning novels across every genre. A range of local authors will be talking and appearing throughout the day. Get your day pass and you can come and go as often as you like. Ticket price includes refreshments. Please see full details for the times of the individual talks.

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Plants for Peace: A Guided Walk with Pete Yeo

Sat 17 September 2022
10.30am - 12:00pm
Wed 21 September 2022
2.00pm - 1:30pm
Sun 25 September 2022
10.00am - 11:30am
Ticket: £7
Join local environmentalist Pete Yeo as he guides you around Appledore exploring a selection of plants associated with peacefulness.

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Storytelling Session @ The Bethel

Saturday 17 September 2022
11:15am - 12:00pm (5-7 years)
Saturday 17 September 2022
12:15pm - 1:00pm (8-11 years)
Ticket: £1 child (Adults free)
Join our exciting storytelling and entertainment sessions with themes of the sea, marine life, pirates, mermaids and more.

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Sadie Jones - Amy & Lan

Saturday 17 September 2022
11.45am - 12.45pm
Ticket: £12
Join acclaimed author Sadie Jones, an award-winning novelist and screenwriter, in conversation as she discusses her fiction and writing life. Sadie’s first novel, The Outcast, won a Costa First Novel Award, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, and was made into a two-part BBC TV series. Her new novel, Amy & Lan, tells the heart-breaking story of two friends sharing an idyllic childhood on a West Country farm.

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Anna Turns: Go Toxic Free & Kate Hughes: Going Zero

Saturday 17 September 2022
1.30pm - 2.30pm
Ticket: £10
Join sustainability journalists Anna Turns and Kate Hughes in conversation with local environment champion Pete Yeo, as they discuss the ways in which we can all actively help our environment.

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Josie Rogers & Giles King-Smith - Ambrose Follows his Nose

Saturday 17 September 2022
1.30pm – 2:15pm
Ticket: £6 adult / £3 child (16 & under)
Dick King-Smith’s son Giles and his great granddaughter Josie will be talking about this wonderful writer’s life and share excerpts from his many entertaining and internationally bestselling books, including the newly published Ambrose Follows his Nose.

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Lunchtime Cream Tea

Saturday 17 September 2022
1.30pm – 2:30pm
Ticket: £10
Why not enjoy a relaxing cream tea with friends or a loved one in our festival café? Fresh sandwiches, cakes and unlimited tea or coffee, come along, sit back, relax and let us look after you!

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Debs Last - Painting Class No. 1

Saturday 17 September 2022
2:00pm - 4:00pm
St. Mary’s Church Grounds
Ticket: £15 (plus optional £5 on the day to hire fully equipped painting box)
Awaken your creativity and explore the exciting Appledore Book Festival. Taught en-plein air by our Artist in Residence, Debs Last, these two-hour painting classes will take place outside to better paint and observe the varied locations and activities.

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Bexy Cameron - Cult Following: My Escape and Return to the Children of God

Saturday 17 September 2022
3.30pm – 4:30pm
Ticket: £10
Bexy Cameron was born into the Children of God, one of the world’s most notorious cults. After escaping at the age of 15, she is now a writer, director and activist. She will be in conversation discussing her unmissable memoir, Cult Following: My Escape and Return to the Children of God.

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Matt Harvey - Careless Whisker, Stand-up Poetry

Saturday 17 September 2022
3.30pm – 4:30pm
Ticket: £10
In an entertaining hour of words and pictures, Matt Harvey performs verse from his and Claudia Schmid’s latest collaboration, Careless Whisker, a sequel to the best-selling Sit!

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Daniel Lavelle - Down and Out: Surviving the Homelessness Crisis

Saturday 17 September 2022
5.15pm - 6:15pm
Ticket: £12
Journalist Daniel Lavelle draws on his own experiences – as well as those of the witty, complex, hopeful individuals he has encountered who have been shunned or forgotten – in order to shine a powerful light on the dire situation of homelessness.

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Sarah Turner - Stepping Up

Saturday 17 September 2022
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Ticket: £12
Sarah Turner, the author of the Unmumsy Mum series of books, has now published her first novel Stepping Up. The spark of an idea came from a conversation about will-writing and more specifically guardianship should the unthinkable happen.

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In the Night Sky - Stargazing - 17 Sept

Saturday 17 September 2022
8:30pm - 10:00pm
Ticket: £10 (adult), £6 (16 & under)
An evening of 'Stargazing and Space' run by Space Detectives. Taking place at the Royal North Devon Golf Club, Westward Ho!

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Churchyard Walk - with David Carter

Sunday 18 September 2022 10:00am - 11:15am - This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Wednesday 21 September 2:30pm - 3:45pm - This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Thursday 22 September 10:00am - 11:15am - This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Ticket: £7
Ship-owners and shipwrights, mariners and merchants, sailors and life-boatmen – they are all buried at St. Mary’s churchyard. But what are the stories behind these monuments?

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Professor Mark Everard - Rebuilding the Earth for You, Me and the Fish

Sunday 18 September 2022
10.30am - 11:30am
Ticket: £8
Dr Mark Everard is an author, scientist and broadcaster with extensive involvement in the worlds of environment and sustainability, angling and music. He will be giving a lively talk documenting his lifelong passion for water and aquatic life and signalling ways by which we might rebuild what has been lost.

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Christie Watson - Quilt on Fire: The Messy Magic of Midlife

Sunday 18 September 2022
12.30pm - 1.30pm
Ticket: £10
Christie Watson was a registered nurse for over twenty years: her moving memoir The Language of Kindness was a number one bestseller, translated into 23 languages and currently being adapted for television. In her new book, Quilt on Fire (the heated passion she felt with a boyfriend turned out to be her bedroom quilt up in flames...) she tells the story of her journey through midlife.

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Champagne Afternoon Tea with Melanie Blake - Guilty Women

Sunday 18 September 2022
2.00pm - 4.00pm
Ticket: £20
Melanie is the bestselling author of Ruthless Women, a Sunday Times bestseller in 2021, and Guilty Women, a second novel about the cast of popular TV soap Falcon Bay. Join her for an exclusive champagne afternoon tea as she discusses her latest novel.

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Michael Morpurgo - When Fishes Flew

Sunday 18 September 2022
3.00pm - 4.00pm
Ticket: £10 (adult), £6 (child -16 and under)
Be entertained and inspired by bestselling author Michael Morpurgo, as he discusses his latest novel When Fishes Flew – a sweeping story of love and rescue and an unforgettable journey back in time to the Second World War and the Greek island of Ithaca. Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of Britain’s best loved writers, with sales of over 35 million copies.

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Debs Last - Painting Class No. 2

Sunday 18 September 2022
4:00pm - 6:00pm
The Anchor, Appledore Quay
Ticket: £15 (plus optional £5 on the day to hire fully equipped painting box)
Awaken your creativity and explore the exciting Appledore Book Festival. Taught en-plein air by our Artist in Residence, Debs Last, these two-hour painting classes will take place outside to better paint and observe the varied locations and activities.

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Coastal foraging walk and al fresco seafood supper

Sunday 18 September 2022
4.30pm – 6:30pm
Ticket: £20 adult, £15 child (16 and under)
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Join us for an introduction to coastal foraging led by Adam Reeve of the Ramblers Pantry. A walk with Adam is relaxed, fun and informative.

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Simon Woolley - SOAR: My Journey from Council Estate to the House of Lords

Sunday 18 September 2022
4.45pm – 5:45pm
Ticket: £12
Lord Woolley was raised by white foster parents on a housing estate in Leicester. He became the first Black man to head an Oxbridge college, and in 2019 he was elevated to the House of Lords. This is his story.

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Nick Duerden - Exit Stage Left: The Curious Afterlife of Pop Stars

Sunday 18 September 2022
6.30pm - 7.30pm
Ticket: £12
Nick Duerden is a writer and freelance journalist. He has written widely on the arts, family and health, and is the author of two novels, a memoir on fatherhood, and other non-fiction works. Exit Stage Left features tales of drug addiction, bankruptcy, depression and divorce, but also of optimism, humility and hope. This is a candid, laugh-out-loud and sometimes shocking look at what happens when the brightest stars fall back down to Earth.

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James Crowden - Cider Country, followed by cider tasting with Green Man Cider

Sunday 18 September 2022
8.00pm - 10:00pm
Ticket: £15 (includes 3 different ciders)
Cidermaking has been at the heart of country life for hundreds of years. But the fascinating story of how this drink came into existence and why it became so deeply rooted in the nation’s psyche has never been told. Followed by Cider Tasting with Green Man Cider in St. Mary’s Hall.

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Beverley Jarvis - Eat Well to Age Well: Cookery Demonstration and Brunch

Monday 19 September 2022
9.30am – 11:30am
Ticket: £20
Join experienced cookery teacher and writer Beverley Jarvis as she delivers a cookery demonstration from her latest cookbook Eat Well to Age Well, followed by brunch.

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The Appledore Walk with David Carter

Monday 19 September
10:00am - 11:30am
Ticket: £7
Meet at Docton Court, Appledore
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Local Historian David Carter has been leading guided walks around Appledore for many years now, and what he doesn't know about its history isn't worth knowing. This guided walk is for anyone who wants to know more about Appledore’s history.

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Dan McCrum - Money Men

Monday 19 September 2022
10.30am - 11.30am
Ticket: £10
Money Men is the true story behind the rise and fall of Wirecard and a six-year long newspaper investigation that exposed the company’s multi-billion dollar fraud and brought it crashing down. Author Dan McCrum, who grew up in Barnstaple, gives a gripping first-hand account of the astonishing series of events that unfolded during the investigation, detailing the setbacks, the luck, and the hard edged tactics used against him.

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Charles Clover & Avril Greenaway - Cleaner Seas

Monday 19 September 2022
12.30pm - 1:30pm
Ticket: £10
Join Charles Clover and Avril Greenaway as they discuss our environment, our seas and marine conservation.

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Writing Workshop - Flash Fiction

Monday 19 September 2022
12.30pm – 2:30pm
Ticket: £20
A writing workshop delivered by Sam Watson to help you tighten up your creative writing.

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Chris Ryan - Outcast

Monday 19 September 2022
2.15pm - 3:15pm
Ticket: £12
As part of the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War, Chris was the only member of an eight-man unit to escape from Iraq, where three of his colleagues were killed and four captured. Chris walked over 190 miles through the desert, over the span of eight days to Syria. He survived on minimal food and water, losing over 36lbs of weight before being taken into protective custody. In this afternoon event, he will be talking about his new novel Outcast.

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Workshop - Creative Writing Inspired by Nature

Monday 19 September 2022
3:00pm - 5.00pm
Ticket: £20
In this workshop delivered by Sam Watson we will consider how various writers and poets have been inspired by nature, how they have interpreted this in various writing styles and how you can do so too.

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Introduction to Sourdough

Monday 19 September 2022
3.30pm – 4:30pm
Ticket: £10
Learn about the history of breadmaking and find out how to make your own sourdough. Participants will be able to take away their own sourdough starter. Please note that thie event takes place in Bideford at 13 Allhalland Street.
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.

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Tina Munro - Breakneck Point

Monday 19 September 2022
3.30pm - 4:30pm
Ticket: £8
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Local author Tina Munro is no stranger to change. After university, she started working life as a Scene of Crime Officer, before later becoming a teacher of history and English and finally a journalist. Join her as she talks about the success of her debut novel Breakneck Point which is set in North Devon.

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Friends VIP Drinks Reception (incl. Pam Ayres ticket)

Monday 19 September 2022
5.30pm – 6:15pm
Ticket: £22
A 'Friends Only' event - Please enter your Voucher Code to access.
Join us for a glass of wine, music and some delicious nibbles in the library at Kingsley School, Bideford prior to taking your VIP seat for the Pam Ayres event in the school theatre. Includes wine, nibbles and ticket to see Pam Ayres.

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Pam Ayres - Who Are You Calling Vermin?

Monday 19 September 2022
6.30pm - 7:30pm
Ticket: £15
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Pam Ayres has been a writer, broadcaster, and entertainer for over 40 years. She is the author of several best-selling poetry books, including The Works, Surgically Enhanced, You Made Me Late Again!, and The Last Hedgehog. She will be joining us to talk about her new book, Who Are You Calling Vermin?, a humorous but honest look at life in the countryside. The rural idyll it isn’t.

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The Irsha Walk with David Carter

Tuesday 20 September
10:00am - 11.30am
Ticket: £7
Meet outside St Mary's Church Hall
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
This guided walk is for anyone who wants to know the history of West Appledore, or Irsha as it is generally known. Why is the character of Irsha different from the rest of Appledore? What did the people do, who lived here? Let David tell you some of their stories on this 90 minute walk.

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Belinda Smith - Agatha Christie: Her Life and Greenway House

Tuesday 20 September 2022
10.30am - 11.30am
Ticket: £8
Belinda Smith will be sharing stories about the world’s best-selling novelist, the restoration and life at her former home of Greenway House, and Agatha’s visits to North Devon.

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Lord Christopher Tugendhat - The Worm in the Apple

Tuesday 20 September 2022
12.15pm – 1:15pm
Ticket: £10
Lord Tugendhat has been a journalist on The Financial Times, a Conservative MP and a European Commissioner. He will be talking about his most recent book The Worm in the Apple: A History of the Conservative Party and Europe from Churchill to Cameron.

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Christopher Somerville - The View from the Hill

Tuesday 20 September 2022
2.00pm – 3:00pm
Ticket: £10
Christopher Somerville's latest book The View from the Hill: Four Seasons in a Walker's Britain follows the cycle of the seasons. The hundreds of walks take in magnificent flora and fauna, ancient traditions and folklore, geological peculiarities and wonders – all narrated with moving and humorous sensitivity.

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Lesley-Ann Jones - The Stone Age: Sixty Years of the Rolling Stones

Tuesday 20 September 2022
4.00pm - 5:00pm
Ticket: £12
Lesley-Ann Jones is an acclaimed biographer, novelist, broadcaster and keynote speaker, known and respected for her sensitive, psychoanalytical approach to her previous books on Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Mark Bolan and John Lennon. The Rolling Stones is the root of all rock bands. The band members themselves have rocked on and have achieved a curious respectability in old age. Lesley-Ann's book The Stone Age tells us about sixty years of the Rolling Stones – the good, the bad and the ugly.

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Mark Billingham - The Murder Book

Tuesday 20 September 2022
6.00pm - 7:00pm
Ticket: £12
Mark Billingham has twice won the Theakston’s Old Peculier Award for Crime Novel of the Year and has also won a Sherlock Award for the Best Detective created by a British writer. Each of the novels featuring Detective Inspector Tom Thorne has been a Sunday Times bestseller and inspired an acclaimed television run for Sky One featuring David Morrissey, plus a BBC adaptation. Now Mark returns with his latest novel, The Murder Book.

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Gin Evening with Atlantic Spirit

Tuesday 20 September 2022
8.00pm – 10:00pm
Ticket: £25 (Includes gins, nibbles and a Dartington gin glass)
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Join local craft gin specialist, Atlantic Spirit, for a wonderful taster evening and learn about the distillation process of their locally made gins. To end the evening each guest can choose their favourite gin which will be served with suggested tonic and garnish.

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Debs Last - Painting Class No. 3

Wednesday 21 September 2022
10:00am - 12:00pm
Richmond Dock, Appledore
Ticket: £15 (plus optional £5 on the day to hire fully equipped painting box)
Awaken your creativity and explore the exciting Appledore Book Festival. Taught en-plein air by our Artist in Residence, Debs Last, these two-hour painting classes will take place outside to better paint and observe the varied locations and activities.

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Peter Christie - The Secret World of the Bridge Trust

Wednesday 21 September 2022
10.00am - 11.00am
Ticket: £8
Most people in North Devon have heard of the Bideford Bridge Trust and many will have been recipients of its funds or will belong to groups which have. But how many know when it was formed, what it does and where its money comes from?

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David Carter - The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway

Wednesday 21 September 2022
11.30am - 12.30pm
Ticket: £8
Local historian David Carter has given us many fascinating talks on Appledore's history over the years. At this event he will be taking you on a visual journey along the route of the old Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway which closed in 1917. On the way, he will be looking at its history, and where the tracks used to run.

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Sandy Brown - Play With Clay Workshop

Wednesday 21 September
12:00pm to 5:00pm
Ticket: £75 (to include materials)
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Immerse yourself in a full afternoon clay workshop with world-leading ceramic artist and local resident Sandy Brown.

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Film Premiere of Cotidal: The Appledore Chapter

Wednesday 21 September 2022
2.00pm – 3:30pm
Ticket: £5
Join us for the premiere screening of COTIDAL, a participatory artwork in the form of a film that asks the question: ‘What do you see when you see the sea?’ Reflecting on our ever-changing relationship with the sea, COTIDAL involved many local folk from Appledore and beyond.

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Nick Arnold - The Secret Siege: Appledore's Last Mystery

Wednesday 21 September 2022
4.30pm – 5:30pm
Ticket: £8
One summer’s day almost 400 years ago, forty brave men changed the course of English history. It happened right here in Appledore. Join festival patron, Nick Arnold to re-live his astonishing quest to re-discover the lost defences of Appledore's Civil War fort.

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Orlando Murrin - Two's Company: The Best of Cooking for Couples

Wednesday 21 September 2022
6.00pm – 7:00pm
Ticket: £15 (including a Ploughman's platter)
Orlando Murrin is a food writer and journalist. For many years he edited BBC Good Food magazine and founded Olive magazine. HIs latest cookbook, Two’s Company is a book with a positive message that cooking for two is exciting, fun and worthwhile. Ticket includes a Ploughman’s platter.

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Wine Tasting Evening with Helen McGinn and Oz Clarke

Wednesday 21 September 2022
8.00pm – 9:30pm
Ticket: £25
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Following the overwhelming success of last year’s wine tasting evening, Helen joins us again, along with her good friend Oz Clarke, for a fabulous evening of wine and laughter. This is a first of two events with Helen and Oz. Ticket price includes wine, nibbles and 2 Dartington wine glasses.

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Learn to Make a Macrame Plant Hanger

Thursday 22 September 2022
10:00am - 12:00pm
Tickets: £30 (Materials supplied at a cost of £5 per participant payable to the tutor on the day)
Tutored by Tamsin of Magpie & Hook, join this small, hands-on modern macramé workshop where you will create your own plant hanger to take away.

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Roger Jones in Conversation (Christian Music Ministries)

Thursday 22 September 2022
11.00am - 12:00pm
Ticket: £8
Join Roger Jones as he talks about giving up a full-time career in teaching, becoming director of Christian Music Ministries, and how he started writing his musicals and song collections.

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Masterclass - Making Ends Meet: How to Survive as a Creative

Thursday 22 September 2022
12.30pm – 2:00pm
Ticket: £5
This masterclass looks at how creatives develop their work and careers while earning from numerous sources for their work and other jobs.

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Roger Jones Lunchtime Concert with Bob Deakin and Debra Mayo

Thursday 22 September 2022
12.30pm - 1:30pm
Ticket: £5
Lunchtime concert with Roger Jones, Bob Deakin and Debra Mayo. The trio will be performing a selection of songs from Roger Jones’ vast catalogue of music.

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Wine Tasting Afternoon with Helen McGinn and Oz Clarke

Thursday 22 September 2022
2.00pm – 3:30pm
Ticket: £25
This event has now sold out. Click here to add your name to our waiting list.
Join wine experts Helen McGinn and Oz Clarke for the second of our fabulous wine tasting events.
Includes wine, nibbles and 2 Dartington wine glasses.

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Walk On The Wild Side with Martin Unwin

Thursday 22 September 2.30pm - 4:00pm
Friday 23 September 3.00pm - 4:30pm
Saturday 24 September 4.00pm - 5:30pm
Sunday 25 September 4.00pm - 5:30pm
Ticket: £7
Meet at the Lifeboat House
Local wildlife expert, Martin Unwin, will be your guide as he takes you on a delightful 90 minute walk to discover the exciting bird life that can be found along the Appledore coastline. It is recommended that you bring a pair of binoculars with you, and an umbrella if it looks like rain. Sorry, no dogs.

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Masterclass - Self-Publishing for Creatives: How Publishing Works for Artists & Makers

Thursday 22 September 2022
4.00pm – 5:30pm
Ticket: £8
This discussion class will look at the pros and cons of going down the self-publishing route for artists and writers who have projects that are unlikely to be picked up by a standard publisher.

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Friends VIP Drinks Reception (incl. Alan Titchmarsh ticket)

Thursday 22 September 2022
6.00pm – 6:45pm
Ticket: £22
A 'Friends Only' event - Please enter your Voucher Code to access.
Join us for a special ‘under canvas’ VIP Reception with a glass of champagne, canapés and enchanting classical music from Hannah Woollacott. Your ticket also includes a VIP seat for the Alan Titchmarsh event.

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Alan Titchmarsh - The Gift

Thursday 22 September 2022
7.00pm - 8:00pm
Ticket: £15
Alan Titchmarsh is Britain’s favourite gardener and TV presenter. He has written more than forty gardening books, as well as eleven novels and three volumes of memoirs. Join Alan as he discusses his latest novel, The Gift, a powerfully life-affirming story of the wonder of nature, the ties of family, and the healing power of love.

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In the Night Sky - Stargazing - 22 Sept

Thursday 22 September 2022
9:00pm - 10:30pm
Main Marquee at Skern
Ticket: £10 adult, £6 child (16 & under)

An evening of 'Stargazing and Space' run by Space Detectives.

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David Owen - Riddle, Mystery, and Enigma: Two Hundred Years of British-Russian Relations

Friday 23 September 2022
10.00am – 11:00am
Ticket: £12
Lord Owen served as foreign secretary under James Callaghan from 1977 until 1979, and later co-founded and went on to lead the Social Democratic Party. With his characteristic insight and expertise, David Owen's new book Riddle, Mystery, and Enigma depicts a British-Russian relationship governed by principle as often as by suspicion, expediency, and outright necessity.

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Needle Felt Taster Workshop

Friday 23 September 2022
10.00am - 11.00am
Ticket: £20 (plus £5 for materials payable to tutor on the day)
An introductory workshop limited to 6 places at which Megan of Magpie & Hook will provide a hands-on introduction to modern needle felting.

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Embroidery for Beginners

Friday 23 September
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Ticket: £30 (plus £5 for materials payable to tutor on the day)
Megan of Magpie & Hook will provide you with a hands-on introduction to embroidery at which you will begin to create your own item to takeway.

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David Spiegelhalter - Covid by Numbers: Making Sense of the Pandemic with Data

Friday 23 September 2022
12.30pm – 1:30pm
Ticket: £12
Over the pandemic, we have all been bombarded by statistics but still have many questions we would like answering. Prof. Sir David Spiegelhalter is here to help. His book Covid by Numbers exposes the leading misconceptions about the Covid-19 and answers essential questions.

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Masterclass - Sources of Funding for Creatives

Friday 23 September 2022
3.00pm – 4:30pm
Ticket: £8
This masterclass, brought to you by ArtMakers, looks at all sources of funding for creative work.
An experts panel will include a public funding body, local business start-ups and experienced grant applicants.

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Debs Last - Painting Class No. 4

Friday 23 September 2022
5.30pm - 7:30pm
Skern Field at Sunset (meet at the Small Marquee)
Ticket: £15 (plus optional £5 on the day to hire fully equipped painting box)
Awaken your creativity and explore the exciting Appledore Book Festival. Taught en-plein air by our Artist in Residence, Debs Last, these two-hour painting classes will take place outside to better paint and observe the varied locations and activities.

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Chris Tarrant - It's Not a Proper Job: Stories from 50 Years in TV

Friday 23 September 2022
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Ticket: £14
The king of popular broadcasting, Chris Tarrant will be recalling stories from a career that spans five decades. With 50 years of stories to tell, this promises to be a fun filled hour for all.

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Justin Webb - The Gift of a Radio

Friday 23 September 2022
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Ticket: £14
Justin Webb, radio royalty and the longest serving presenter of BBC Radio 4’s flagship news and current affairs programme Today, joins us to talk candidly about a childhood that was far from ordinary.

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Debut & Childrens Authors Day 2022 - Author Showcase: Talks and Book Sales

Saturday 24 September 2022
10.00am – 3:00pm
Ticket: £5 day pass (children free - no need for a ticket)
Brought to you by North Devon Authors, this all day event offers a range of fascinating authors. From children’s funny stories featuring dogs and fairies, to wonderfully illustrated books with meaningful lessons on sharing and caring. Get a day-pass and you can come and go as often as you like. Cake and refreshments included. Please see full details for the times of the individual talks.

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Vince Cable - How to be a Politician

Saturday 24 September 2022
10.00am – 11:00am
Ticket: £12
Former Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable's latest book How to Be a Politician is structured to follow the arc of a life in politics. Punctuated throughout by candid insights from Sir Vince, it weaves together the wittiest, wisest and most acerbic political quotations from the last 2,000 years.

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Workshop - Create your own Block Print on Fabric

Saturday 24 September 2022
10.00am – 4:00pm
Ticket: £50 (includes all materials)
A one day workshop for adults, delivered by Annabel Hill. Learn how to print on fabric and create your very own printed tote bag to take away.

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How to get into Publishing: A guide for young adults

Saturday 24 September 2022
11:45am - 12:30pm
Ticket: £5
Following successful careers in publishing. Festival Trustees Susan Sandon and Richard Cable will be here to help young adults with advice on getting into publishing.

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Jeremy Vine - Why Everyone should ride a Penny Farthing

Saturday 24 September 2022
12.00pm – 1:00pm
Ticket: £12
Appledore regulars will have seen the headlines in February — “Jeremy Vine rushed to A&E after being knocked out in fall from Penny Farthing.” Luckily he escaped from the accident unscathed, but in the weeks after the fall, he was constantly asked why... “Why do you ride that thing?

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Open Mic Event for Young Adults with food and refreshments

Saturday 24 September
Sunday 25 September
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Ticket: £5
Join our Youth Ambassadors for one of our outdoor informal gatherings where you can join an open mic session, enjoy some food and refreshments, and maybe take part in a podcast session.

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Debs Last - Painting Class No. 5

Saturday 24 September 2022
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Skern Field Festival (meet at the Small Marquee)
Ticket: £15 (plus optional £5 on the day to hire fully equipped painting box)
Awaken your creativity and explore the exciting Appledore Book Festival. Taught en-plein air by our Artist in Residence, Debs Last, these two-hour painting classes will take place outside to better paint and observe the varied locations and activities.

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Matt Allwright - The Consumer Survival Guide

Saturday 24 September 2022
2.00pm – 3:00pm
Ticket: £12
Matt Allwright is a journalist, broadcaster, magazine columnist and author. He is a familiar face to viewers of prime-time television, particularly on BBC Watchdog and Rogue Traders. In his book The Consumer Survival Guide, Matt will help you to help yourself amid the minefield of modern consumer rights and fraudsters, offering practical advice on how to sidestep pitfalls in all areas of life.

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Nadine Dorries - Coming Home to the Four Streets

Saturday 24 September 2022
4.00pm – 5:00pm
Ticket: £12
The Rt. Hon. Nadine Dorries MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, is also a Sunday Times best-selling author. Join Nadine and Jeremy Vine in a lively session as she talks about her political career and writing life, including the latest addition to the Four Streets saga, Coming Home to the Four Streets.

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Jeffrey Archer - Next in Line

Saturday 24 September 2022
6.00pm – 7:00pm
Ticket: £14
Join Jeffrey Archer and Jeremy Vine in conversation discussing his phenomenal writing career together with his new novel, Next in Line. This instalment of the page-turning William Warwick series is set in 1988 with royal fever sweeping the nation as Britain falls in love with the ‘people’s princess’. Published in 100 countries and more than 51 languages, Jeffrey Archer is firmly established as one of the world’s bestselling authors.

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Sue Barker - Calling the Shots: My Autobiography

Saturday 24 September 2022
8.00pm – 9:00pm
£42 Couple’s ticket (to include one hardback book); £30 Single ticket (to include one hardback book)
We are delighted to welcome Sue Barker to Appledore just as her memoir is published. After four decades on camera encouraging other legends to share their stories, she is finally ready to tell her own.

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Fern Britton - The Good Servant

Sunday 25 September 2022
10.00am – 11:00am
Ticket: £12
Fern Britton spent 14 years as a journalist before presenting Ready, Steady, Cook for the BBC. This Morning for ITV followed and she won several awards and became a household name. Her period novel The Good Servant looks at the life of the governess to two Royal princesses - Elizabeth and Margaret.

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Sashiko for Beginners

Sunday 25 September 2022
10:00am - 12:00pm
Ticket: £30 (plus £5 for materials payable to tutor on the day)
Join a small group, maximum 6 persons, to be tutored by Megan of Magpie & Hook in the special craft of Japanese embroidery, Sashiko.

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Jay Blades - DIY with Jay

Sunday 25 September 2022
12.00pm – 1:00pm
Ticket: £14
Jay Blades is the beloved star of hit TV show The Repair Shop. After leaving school with no qualifications, he went on to study for a degree before finding his true vocation in restoration. In his just-published book he brings tales of his own do-it-yourself escapades and plenty of inspiration from his favourite home fixes.

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Sandy Brown Talk: Her work and life as a world-leading Ceramic Artist

Sunday 25 September 2022
12.30pm – 2:00pm
Ticket: £8
A fabulous opportunity to meet Sandy Brown at her studio in Appledore and hear about the inspiration for her creative life and the development of her art.

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Workshop: Create your own Monoprint Concertina Book

Sunday 25 September 2022
12.30pm – 6:00pm
Ticket: £45 (includes materials)
A full-afternoon workshop for adults, delivered by Annabel Hill. Come and create a concertina book, based on images often seen in Appledore - ice-cream, boats, birds, fish, and quaint cottages. All materials provided.

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Ann Cleeves - The Rising Tide

Sunday 25 September 2022
2.30pm – 3:30pm
Ticket: £12
Critically acclaimed award winning author, Ann Cleeves returns to the festival with her latest book in the Vera Stanhope series, in which a school reunion turns deadly as the tide rises on Holy Island.

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Dakota Warren - On Sun Swallowing

Sunday 25 September 2022
2.30pm – 3:30pm
Ticket: £6
A Youth Event. TikTok and YouTube star, Dakota Warren is an avid reader and obsessive writer. She has an affinity for classic literature, collects teeth, and wears a pearl necklace to sleep so she can wake up indestructible. She has been invited to the festival by our Youth Ambassadors to talk about her book On Sun Swallowing.

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The Red Hot Chilli Writers - Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee

Sunday 25 September 2022
4.30pm – 5:30pm
Ticket: £10
Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee are co-hosts of the popular podcast Red Hot Chilli Writers, taking a wry look at the world of books, writing and the creative arts. Join Vaseem and Abir as they talk to festival patron and best selling author Ann Cleeves about their recent crime novels and the popularity of their fabulous podcast series.

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A '70s Evening with Will Hodgkinson - In Perfect Harmony: Singalong Pop in 70s Britain

Sunday 25 September 2022
7.00pm – 9:00pm
Ticket: £12
For our final event we are going back to the 70s. It’s officially time to get your groove on! Dig out your flares, find those platforms and join us for an evening of 70s nostalgia with author and legendary music journalist Will Hodgkinson. Relive the decade of disco, punk, glam rock, funk and soul. Expect music, dancing, a cash bar and a 70s inspired sweet stall.

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Available Events