A GRASSROOTS literary festival is returning to venues around Reading this weekend.
Fourbears Fest is back for its second iteration after starting in earnest last year, bringing events featuring spoken word, discussions, activities, and talks from celebrated authors to the town over three days.
Friday, May 16, will see comedian, writer, and presenter Robin Ince return to discuss his latest book, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal, at Queen Anne’s School.
Saturday, May 17, will see children’s author and illustrator Rose Lihou lead a draw-along event at Caversham Baptist Church, followed by draw-along sessions with cartoonist and comic book author Niell Cameron and graphic novelist Sophy Henn.
Progress Theatre will see a crime panel from authors Kate Wells, Stuart Turton, and Tom Hindle.
Sunday, May 18, will see a Teddy Bear Story Time taking place at Reading Repertory Theatre, for youngsters aged 18-months to four years.
Curtis Chin will lead a talk about his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, at Progress Theatre, followed by a talk by Amy Jeffs, author of Saints: Medieval Legends of Heroes, Humans, and Magic.
Reading’s own Iszi Laarence will lead a creative writing workshop for those aged 9 and up at Fourbears Books, Prospect Street, Caversham.
Two Rivers Press is also leading a poetry showcase at Progress Theatre featuring contributors to its Anthology of Reading Poets.
Fourbears is an independently-owned bookshop in Caversham, which hosts a number of events throughout the year, including talks, writing clubs, and book clubs.
Full details and tickets to each of the events are available via: fourbearsbooks.co.uk/fourbears-fest
