Free, fun and fresh as ever, Leeds Lit Fest is back next week for its 3rd edition! 26 events featuring more than 50 writers and performers run on a Pay As You Feel basis and with 2 paid workshops. Really, what’s not to like? You’re front row from your sofa, it’s free and we’re here to entertain you!

Missing the pub? Come and test your literature knowledge in Leeds Lit Fest's first ever quiz night (Tuesday, 8pm). It’s not quite a pub quiz atmosphere but you can definitely BYO of choice! Your quizmaster is Gary Wigglesworth author of The Book Lover's Quiz Book. Could you be the first LLF quiz champion? You might even win a festival mug.

Can’t go to the cinema? We’ll bring it to you. We’ve a rare silent film screening of the Hound of the Baskervilles with live piano accompaniment from Jonny Best (Saturday 7.30pm). All you need is the popcorn and someone shouting shush from behind!

Desperate for a theatre experience? Don’t Go Into The Cellar theatre company will be performing their Strictly Sherlock show (Sunday 7.30pm). You can join the king of the detectives as he brings to life three spine tingling Conan Doyle tales.

Are you climbing the walls? Are your kids climbing the walls? Then let peace reign for a couple of hours with Harry Heape and a big wiggly book gobbling adventure (Saturday, 11am) or draw along with children’s book illustrator Liz Million (Saturday, 2pm) and bring your weird, wacky and wonderful characters and creatures to life.

There’s all of this and so much more including international superstars like Monique Roffey (Saturday midday) fresh from her 2020 Costa Book Award win for The Mermaid of Black Conch;  crime fiction writer Peter James (Wednesday, 12:30pm) ahead of the upcoming televising of his hugely popular Roy Grace series, which will appear on ITV in the Spring; journalist and broadcaster Gary Younge celebrates the life of Andrea Levy (Thursday, 6:30pm); and very topically,  LBC radio presenter, Iain Dale (Friday 7pm) examines why we’ve all become so disrespectful and intolerant in public discourse in Why Can’t We All Just Get Along.

Carl Hutton, Chair of Leeds Lit Fest said, “Committed as we are to ensuring that Leeds Lit Fest is as accessible as possible, we have made the majority of the festival programme free to watch. Audiences are asked to help support the festival through donations if they are able. Writers of the calibre of Monique Roffey, Peter James, Gary Younge and Iain Dale feature in the programme, further extending the list of leading authors who have appeared at the festival over the last 3 years.  Each of the festival partners has contributed events, resources, creativity and time to ensure this year's programme reflects their different and unique qualities and interests that when brought together presents a perfect online festival to enjoy front row, for free and from your own home.”

Head to our website: http://www.leedslitfest.co.uk or Leeds Inspired and our social media feeds: Facebook: @LeedsLitFest, Twitter: @LeedsLit to find out more and register for your tickets. Leeds Lit Fest is back!

ENDS

Image: Children’s book illustrator, Liz Million

For further information and media requests contact Carl Hutton, Chair of the Leeds Lit Fest at huttonc@theleedslibrary.org.uk | 07725 698687.

About Leeds Lit Fest

Leeds Lit Fest 2021 will take place on Tuesday 2 March – Sunday 7 March.

Leeds Lit Fest is delivered by a partnership of 10 Leeds-based creative arts and literature-based organisations which are committed to celebrating and championing literature and writing in Leeds and to engaging and inspiring its people to get involved in creative activities linked to literature. 

Current partner organisations include The Leeds Library, The Leeds Big Bookend and Northern Short Story Festival, Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds Libraries, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds Church Institute, Strix, MILIM, Chapel FM and Headingley LitFest. 

The festival is supported by queer indie bookshop, The Bookish Type.

Tickets and further information for the Lit Fest can be found at  www.leedslitfest.co.uk or Leeds Inspired as well as through the partner organisations.

In 2020, Leeds Lit Fest won Best Literary Festival at the national Saboteur Awards after being shortlisted in 2019. The festival celebrates the vibrant and thriving literature scene that exists in Leeds with local writers and performers showcasing their talents along with national and international artists with an exciting programme of author talks, workshops, panels, performance, digital, poetry and spoken word events.

For full information on the Festival, including programme updates and ticket information head to its website or social media pages below:

http://www.leedslitfest.co.uk| Facebook: @LeedsLitFest | Twitter: @LeedsLit | #LLF21