Organisers confirm Monty Lit Fest to become annual event

This year’s festival marked a new chapter for the Montgomeryshire Literary Festival which is now set to become an annual fixture in the Montgomery calendar on the second weekend in June each year.

As the sun shone on Montgomery Town Hall, book lovers enjoyed a weekend in the company of over 20 brilliant writers with a range of sessions that offered something for everyone.

Author Janice Hallett with Monty Lit Fest chair Sarah Morris.

Poet and painter Frieda Hughes delighted a packed audience with a masterful mix of her poetry and stories while crowds heard about the very different writing styles of top crime writers, Sophie Hannah and Janice Hallett.

Attendees also learnt how the myths of the Mabinogi have been re-told anew for children with Matt Brown and Eloise Williams, editors of The Mab.

There was a good debate about the future of food, farming life and our environment and how we might best use our land to sustain us all into the future.

The festival also offered workshops for aspiring writers, a punk and mod-themed Late Lounge and a popular Saturday Night Quiz.

The Montgomeryshire Literary Festival committee.

The festival was rounded off with a literary cricket tea at Montgomery’s beautiful cricket club.

The event clearly struck a chord with the people who came along and who made the festival the success that it was – audiences and writers alike.

It’s been described as “joyous” and “wonderful”, with plenty of people saying they’ll be back next year.

Organisers thanked the town's two bookshops and local community groups who helped create a festival atmosphere.

Attendees at the town hall show their appreciation.

Festival Chair Sarah Morris said: “It was a sheer delight to see Monty Lit Fest come back with a bang.

"Our audiences loved hearing from our writers, and our writers loved meeting their readers, both old and new.

"We always want Monty Lit Fest to be known as the 'friendly' festival, rooted in our local communities and open and welcoming to everyone.

Young readers at Monty Lit Fest.

"Seeing Montgomery Town Hall packed with people enjoying the sessions, buying books and having them signed by authors, and then enjoying coffee and home-made cake courtesy of local community groups pretty much sums up what we’re about.

"We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Monty Lit Fest 2023."