European Literary Festivals
by Daisy Evans
All over Europe writers and readers, booksellers and publishers gather to celebrate every conceivable aspect of writing. Some are general literary festivals, others are dedicated to a particular genre such as the short story, poetry, crime writing, and literature in translation.
Among the oldest-established and most successful of these events is the Guardian Hay Festival. Based in the Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye, it is now in its 19th year, and draws up to 60,000 visitors. So popular has it become that its organisers have expanded it to include music, comedy and film, and have begun establishing offshoots in other countries, including a new festival in Segovia.
Peter Florence, one of the founders of the Hay Festival, believes that the boom is a product of a 'golden age' of writers, with whom readers are eager to engage in person. He divides festivals broadly into two types: 'destination' festivals such as Hay, to which people come from far and wide, and 'homemade' festivals such as its English neighbour Cheltenham, which depend very much on the local populace. 'The great thing,' he adds, 'is that literature is a profoundly local art form. The Edinburgh Festival, for instance, is the best place to enjoy writing with a Scottish dimension.'
It appears that literature and book festivals are more popular than ever. Perhaps in the cyber age when reports of the death of the book are muttered every time a new "e-book" application comes online, people are more and more keen to experience literature in the flesh. What is essentially a solitary activity becomes communal, and above all a place where enthusiasms can be shared. Book clubs, the phenomenon formally known as reading bees, also abound at present, which are themselves literary festivals in miniature.
Here are some upcoming highlights of the European literary scene:
SPAIN
THE GUARDIAN HAY FESTIVAL SEGOVIA
27th - 30th September 2007
The second outing of "Hay" at the outpost of Segovia sees a strong force of writers, correspondents and other journalists coming together for challenging interviews and symposia.
http://www.hayfestival.com/segovia
LITHUANIA
DRUSKININKAI POETIC FALL
5th to 8th October 2007
Now in its eighteenth year, the Poetic Fall features over 100 poets, translators and critics from Lithuania and other countries. Among the more unusual events at past festivals has been the final of the Poets' Basketball League.
www.culture.lt/pen
ENGLAND
THE TIMES CHELTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL
5th to 14th October 2007
Cheltenham claims to be the world's oldest literature festival, dating from 1949. The ten-day programme consists of hundreds of events, attracts thousands of people, and covers everything from children's books to horror stories. This year literary the guest directors are Armando Ianucci and AC Grayling
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk/
DURHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL
29th September - 13th October
AS Byatt and Pat Barker are two leading lights drawing enthusiastic crowds to this annual event in the North East of England
http://www.literaturefestival.co.uk/
NORWAY
TROMSO LITERATURE FESTIVAL
26th September - 1st October 2007
The 8th Ordkalotten - Tromso International Literature Festival,
Tromso, northern Norway.
The 2007's special theme is Russia, focusing on contemporary Russian literature.
http://www.ordkalotten.no/
NETHERLANDS
AMSTERDAM LITERARY FESTIVAL
14th - 19th May 2008
The 8th annual outing for this quirky festival. Amsterdam is UNESCO World Book Capital for 2008, so this should be a particularly sparkling festival.
http://www.amsterdamliteraryfestival.com/
GERMANY
BERLIN INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL
Poets and writers from all over the world read to thousands during this huge book festival in Berlin's city centre. The Bebelplatz is historically significant, witness to one of the darkest days in German history: the burning of the books by the soldiers of the Third Reich in 1933. These days books and reading are celebrated with appearances by famous authors, poetry readings, concerts and film screenings. http://www.literaturfestival.com
© Daisy Evans. All views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to the European Commission.