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Gryffe Valley Book Festival

The first ever Gryffe Valley Book Festival will run from 6th to the 12th September in venues across Bridge of Weir, Houston and Kilmacolm!

Gryffe Valley Book Festival

About Gryffe Valley Book Festival

Tickets are on sale now for all 13 events at www.eventbrite.com and features Lin Anderson, Anne Cleeves, Sean Batty, Heather Suttie and many more.

The festival features a mix of sessions for children; a workshop for budding creative writers; some of Scotland’s top crime writers and a chance to enjoy a night of music at The Houston Inn, with proceeds going to Project Go, a local family charity supporting Duchenne UK.

The Gryffe Valley Book Festival will be held in venues in Bridge of Weir, Houston and Kilmacolm and has been created by the team behind The Ginger Cat Bookshop and Tryptych Studios in Bridge of Weir.

The Ginger Cat has been staging successful book events in Bridge of Weir for a year and already brought Andrew O'Hagan, Alex Gray, Sara Sheridan, Billy Sloan, Scotland’s National Chef, Gary McLean and Chris Brookmyre who will be discussing his latest book on Friday 9 August.

The Ginger Cat Bookshop owner Aileen Jeffrey said: “The idea for the festival came about from seeing people enjoying meeting fantastic authors over the last 12 months and being inspired by the huge love of books and writing we hear about from customers every day. It's a festival that we hope will grow year on year, a festival that not only shouts loudly about books and reading for pleasure but also music, art and science. As independent businesses we want to help our community develop and maintain a lifelong love of reading, so the time is right to launch the Gryffe Valley Book Festival. We are delighted with the line-up and hope people in the area will come and have a fantastic time in the company of brilliant authors and hosts and that it encourages a love for the arts and science. We hope that through our events that wonderful memories are made for young and old alike”

The festival begins on Friday 6 September when author and musician Jenna Reid tells tales from her first children's book Telescope Telescope and will perform songs and music aimed at young people.

That evening (6 September) Witches of Scotland podcaster Zoe Venditozzi discusses the Scottish Witch Trials with authors CJ Cooke and Victoria Williamson.

On Saturday 7 September, children's author Barbara Henderson reveals the inspiration behind her book Rivet Boy and its local connection; every child will be gifted be a free copy of the book (gifted by the Gryffe Valley Rotary Club), this is followed by a Rivet Boy Bridge Building Workshop hosted by the Institution of Civil Engineers. Tickets for this event are free.

Also on Saturday (7 September), comedian and author Eleanor Morton is in conversation with broadcaster Heather Suttie discussing her book Life Lessons from Historical Women, followed by an Afternoon of Crime with Bloody Scotland's Lin Anderson and Craig Robertson.

The final author event of Saturday (7 September) will be Andy the Highlander at the Gryffe Valley Book Festival as he discusses his new book Lochs and Legends with STV weatherman Sean Batty, who has just announced his first children’s book will be published later in the year.

Saturday (7 September) rounds off with an evening of music with Paul from The Festivals plus special guest at The Houston Inn.

Sunday (8 September) is a mini festival day with craft fair, it starts with a Festival Bookbug session of stories, songs and rhymes for the very young developing their lifelong love of reading, followed by a fun poetry and art session with Poet Julie Anna Douglas, for ages 5-7. Then you can join Silly Science Scotland for free Silly Science Workshops and get ready to have a blast with some fun experiments for ages 4-12 or take part as children's author Lindsay Littleson delivers a free introduction to Creative Writing suitable for 8-12 year olds. Spray paint artist Bmore Sketchy will be spray painting a festival mural all day with children invited to try spray painting on an accompanying board.

There is also a school programme running during the festival with visits from Abi Elphinstone, Martin Stewart and for the high schools, Margaret McDonald. Women's Aid in Renfrewshire will also benefit from a free poetry workshop by Amy Moreno, sponsored by Alliance Ambulance Service.

The festival ends on Thursday 12 September with an unmissable event for crime fiction fans when Ann Cleeves, the writer who inspired tv shows Vera and Shetland is in conversation with Colin McCredie, still fondly remembered for his role as DC Stuart Fraser in the crime series Taggart. 10% of ticket sales going to Project GO supporting Duchenne UK.

Sponsored Links

Pace Youth Theatre
Renfrewshire Council
The Quay
Link
Media Shop
St Columba's School
Paisley Town Hall Wedding Fayre

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