Finding Folklore at Sedbergh Book Festival

Putting together this series of folklore and fairytale themed events for the world-famous Book Town, Sedbergh, has been a blast! 

This year, I worked with a very small team of fellow students from Lancaster University's English Literature and Creative Writing department to plan, organise, and deliver four engaging family-friendly workshops. 

The poetry busking involved setting up inside the exceptionally new Gun Dog Coffee Shop with a typewriter I inherited from my dad (the very same typewriter that appeared in Kasanga the Lion's cage when my dad still worked in the circus!) and writing a stream of original poetry right on the spot for festival visitors.

Meanwhile, my colleague hosted a Make-Your-Own-Creature writing workshop at a stall in the artisan market where children (and grown-ups) could experiment with creative writing to create their own folklore creatures.

Finally, we kicked off the first round of the folklore treasure hunt, exploring through Sedbergh's gorgeous artisan market with a team of young treasure hunters while we read an (adapted) Cumbrian folk tale about Long Meg and her daughters. 

I couldn't have asked for a lovelier day and can't wait to return to Sedbergh for their next literary event. Thank you to everyone on the team for having us!