The Penarth Literary Festival is back with NINE days of talks, signings, workshops and seminars guaranteed to delight book lovers of all ages! Events will take place in venue across Penarth from Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 June.

This year’s festival has a distinctly Welsh flavour, with themes of Welsh identity and culture running through the programme. Welsh music champion and BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Huw Stephens will be talking to fellow broadcaster and his former BBC Radio 1 co-host Bethan Elfyn about his new book Wales: 100 Records. Art historian Ceri Thomas and independent curator David Moore will be in conversation with renowned art lecturer Stella Grace Lyons about key figures in Welsh art.

Personal history and life experiences are at the forefront of our non-fiction events with acclaimed novelist Clare Mackintosh and former BBC correspondent and podcaster Rory Cellan-Jones. Real life turns fiction as Isabelle Schuler introduces her impressive historical debut, Lady MacBethad, which reimagines the life Gruoch- the Scottish queen who inspired on of Shakespeare’s most famous characters.

We have not one but two seminars in the programme this year. Academic and Penarth resident Dr Claire Harrill will lead a fascinating discussion on Women Writers of the European Middle Ages, while digital marketing expert Hannah Isted will deliver a practical session designed to help small business owners grow their online audience and their business.

Event for children and young people will take place in one of our favourite locations in the town, Penarth Library. Children’s Laureate Wales Alex Wharton and novelist Sarah Todd Taylor will be delivering creative writing sessions perfect for any budding young writer, poet or future rap star; and Kael Tudor will be introducing his hilarious new book One Goose, Two Moose in our Festival Storytime Special for younger children.

We will, as ever, close the Festival in suitably poetic style with our popular Poetry Showcase, this year hosted by poet, novelist and good friend of the shop, Katherine Stansfield.

Plus, we still have a few surprises up our sleeves, so keep an eye on our socials and website for further announcements. And finally, it’s not too late to become a FRIEND of Penarth Literary Festival which gives free entry to most events and other bookish perks!