LITERARY stars will take centre stage when they appear at the city’s most iconic buildings for the Oxford Literary Festival this weekend.
Book lovers from across the world are expected to gather in Oxford for the nine-day annual event, which begins tomorrow.
More than 50 events featuring award-winning authors, journalists and publishers are lined up for the start of the literary celebrations.
Festival director Sally Dunsmore said: “Starting this weekend, the world comes to Oxford. It’s so exciting to see crowds of people filling the Sheldonian Theatre and other venues everyday.
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“Families and people meeting their favourite authors, attending debates, literary lunches and dinners, wine tasting, concerts, seminars and screenings. I look forward to welcoming everyone to the festival.”
More than 250 events are lined up for the 19th Oxford Literary Festival, with 500 speakers from 20 different countries coming together.
The Sheldonian Theatre in Broad Street will be at the heart of the festival, hosting a number of opening events this weekend.
Amercian writer Diana Gabaldon will be among the writers appearing.
Comedian Tony Hawks, former Observer editor Will Hutton and author of book series How to Train Your Dragon Cressida Cowell will grace the venue on Saturday.
And on Sunday, publisher Bloomsbury will treat Harry Potter fans to an afternoon of magic and mischief with a special celebration of the JK Rowling favourite.
Festival special advisor Tony Byrne said: “Increasingly we are told that Oxford is seen as the most distinguished and prestigious literary festival in the world.
“All of the events are in beautiful and historical university and college buildings, many of which are not open to the general public for much of the rest of the year.”
The University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, which is the festival’s official cultural partner, will official unveil its revamped Weston Library on the first day of the festival.
It comes after a £80m threeyear transformation of the Grade II-listed building, formerly known as the New Bodleian. Blackwell’s, the official bookseller for the event, will host its Festival Marquee during this month’s celebrations.
Blackwell’s deputy manager Zool Verjee, 39, said: “There’s so much enthusiasm for the festival. It celebrates books and books are wonderful things. There’s nothing that gives us greater joy than recommending books to people.”
Other events will take place across the city including Christ Church in St Aldate’s; the Bodleian Library in Broad Street, and Corpus Christi College in Merton Street. The Oxford Mail’s sister paper The Oxford Times is this year’s official regional partner. See oxfordliteraryfestival.org for more details.
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