Guide To Free Activities

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WaterstonesBookshop

The TimesForum

Feast Café

The Huddle

Drinking Water

VIP LoungeIn Association With Cunard

The Hive

Buggy Park

The Nook

The Inkpot

The Woodland TrustWild Wood

The Den

The Sunday TimesGarden Theatre

Picnic Area

The Bookstand

MONTPELLIER TERRACE

Box O�ceBonne Maman

The Gardens Gallery

MainEntrance

Waterstones Children’s Bookshop

Beano Challenge Trail

The Chatterbox

The TimesLiterary

SupplementJohn Lewis

Playground

Skate Park

Picnic Area

Festival Bar

StreetFoodNyetimber

Bus

Drinking Water

Whittard of Chelsea

No.131, Cheltenham Town Hall, Baillie Gifford Stage, Town Centre,

House of Fraser, Bottle of Sauce, Lit Crawl …around town

Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre

and Hotel du Vin

The Daffodil

6–7 & 13–14 October 11am–4pm

The Woodland Trust Wild WoodVisit the Woodland Trust Wild Wood Trailer for games, activities and more, or take part in one of the many fun events for all the family.

For a detailed schedule and more information visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature

Welcome toThe Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

FREE ACTIVITIES IN THE FESTIVAL VILLAGE

As well as our packed programme of events, there’s plenty more to discover for all ages in our Festival Village – and for FREE!

For full details visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature

...around town brought to you by Cheltenham BID

5–14 October 2018Box Office 01242 850270cheltenhamfestivals.com@cheltlitfest

FREE EVENTS INSIDE

FREE EVENTS INSIDE

Beano Challenge TrailCelebrate 80 years of the Beano comic by following our poster trail across site with fun activities to do along the way. Pick up a trail sheet from the Beano Challenge Trail tent.

A Beano Studios Product. © D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd 2018.

The ChatterboxDaily, 11am–3pm

Pop in and make an origami chatterbox, hang a leaf on our Tree of Hopes and Dreams and have fun coming up with ideas and answers to our curious questions – just bring your imagination!

Dancing Through The RainCome along to the Huddle for an exhibition of poetry and photography from students participating in Beyond Words, a Cheltenham Festivals outreach programme. Students are from Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service and the University of Gloucestershire.

Character Meet And GreetMeet favourite book characters Little Miss Inventor, The Gruffalo, Cat in the Hat and The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

Sharky And GeorgeAn epic mix of high energy games, races and competitions for all the family to join in.

We’re Going On A Bear HuntGo on an imaginative adventure with actor Sophie Lanciano through grass, forests, water, mud and even snow to meet a big friendly bear.

Artwork Credits

Adult programme illustration by Sarah Gullen Family programme illustration by Matt Carr

Charity No. 251765

6–7 & 13–14 October, 10am–4pm

The DenColour, stick, cut, build, imagine and create your own fantastic dragons and decorations with Creation Station. Arty activities for ages 4–12 and their families.

The BookstandTake a break and grab a book in our cosy outdoor lounge in the middle of the Festival Village. Read the morning paper, swap some books or get a front row seat for free pop–up performances throughout the Festival.

The HuddleWhether you’re after stimulating talks or great entertainment, you’ll find a host of free events in The Huddle in our Feast Café. Continue those thought–provoking discussions, test your knowledge with The Times crossword, enjoy locally sourced music or readings and join experts for concise and mind–expanding talks in our Very Short Introduction To… series.

Gardens GalleryAn exciting exhibition of contemporary designer–makers from The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen. With daily demonstrations including bookbinding and calligraphy.

For more information visit gardensgallery.co.uk or guildcrafts.org.uk

The Times Literary SupplementPick up your FREE copy of the special Festival edition of The Times Literary Supplement in the Festival Village.

Waterstones Children’s BookshopEspecially for the Festival’s smallest visitors, our Waterstones Children’s Bookshop invites you discover and rediscover the works from all your favourite children’s writers and illustrators – meet your hero at a signing or be entertained at one of our regular storytimes.

5–8 October, 10–11.30am Haiku Walk with Paul ConneallyMeet at The Bookstand FREE ticket required visit cheltenhamfestivals.com or Box Office in the Festival Village

The great Japanese haiku master Bashō said ‘to know of the pine go to the pine’ and it’s in this spirit, as part of our ‘East Meets West’ Festival theme, that Paul Conneally, our Haiku Poet in Residence, invites you to walk, write and share haiku with him on a Ginko (a Haiku walk) in our very own Montpellier Gardens. In groups of up to 15 you’ll stroll with Paul, listen to and learn about the haiku and gather inspiration for trying writing your own back in the comfort of the café. Suitable for those new to haiku or experts, young writers to old!

StorytellingSat 6 & Sun 14 October Find out how two young dragons find their way home with storyteller Lucy Walters.

Sun 7 October Enjoy Dragon Stories and draw–a–long with author and illustrator Shoo Rayner.

Sat 13 October Improvised, immersive, interactive storytelling with Wilf Merttens.

5–14 October 2018Box Office 01242 850270cheltenhamfestivals.com@cheltlitfest

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Imperial Square

Fairview Rd

St Margaret’s Rd

Swindon Rd

Tewkesbury Rd

St Georges Rd

Parabola Rd

MontpellierRotunda

The Brewery Quarter

RegentArcade

IMPERIALGARDENS

CheltenhamTrain Station

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Pittville Pump Room

Pittville Play Area

Bus and Coach Station

Neptune’sFountain

The Hare &The Minotaur

Town Hall

Cheltenham Racecourse

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway

The Centaur

MONTPELLIERGARDENS

HONEYBOURNE LINE CYCLE/FOOTPATH

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...around town brought to you by Cheltenham BID

MONSTER STORY TRAIL Daily, 11am–3pm

Hello Monster Hunters! Follow our Monster Story Trail around Cheltenham’s shops, cafes and other venues and collect the clues to reveal the name of the Cheltenham Festivals’ monster. There are ten giant monster story book covers to find, created by young writers and illustrators from ten local Primary Schools.

Get creative and draw your idea of what our monster might look like and read the monstrous stories on our website.

Grab a trail sheet from any of the participating venues or the Beano Challenge Trail tent in the Festival Village to take part. For more details visit cheltenhamfestivals.com

Friday 5–Saturday 6 & Friday 12–Saturday 13 10pm–1am

FESTIVAL CLUB @ HOTEL DU VINWhen the Festival Village winds down, the Festival Club fires up. Join us after hours at the Hotel du Vin for music, conversation and late night literary revelry. You never know who you’ll end up rubbing shoulders with…

BOTTLE OF SAUCE TAKEOVER20 The Bottle of Sauce GL50 3LH

Lit Crawl returns! Charging into its third year, Cheltenham’s streets, bars and bookshops will once again burst at the seams with quirky literary happenings. All un–ticketed and all completely FREE.

Get ready for a fast–paced evening of comedy, readings, performances and parties in the hottest venues across town.

This is literature done differently. Join us and get drunk on words.

For more details visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/litcrawl

Saturday 6 October5pm ‘til late

PHASE 1: FROM 5PM

PHASE 2: FROM 6PM

PHASE 4: FROM 8PM

The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

6–7pm

The Reduced Literature Degree10 The Wilson Café GL50 3JT

Shirley Halse from The Wilson Arts Collective has condensed three years’ worth of the BA English Literature curriculum down to a far more efficient one hour course. We will zip from Old English through the centuries up to today, checking in with needy Sidney, catty Dryden, loved–up Keats, moody Larkin and many more. No essays required.

From 6pm

Poetry And The Planets11 The Holst Museum GL52 2AY

Join Cheltenham Poetry Festival director Anna Saunders and acclaimed spoken word artists and poets including David Clarke, Adam Horovitz and rapper JPDL in the atmospheric setting of Cheltenham’s Holst Birthplace Museum for a poetic journey around the solar system. 9 rooms. 9 poets – each responding to a different planet in turn.

From 6pm

Flashers’ Club12 Smokey Joes GL50 4ED

Flashers’ Club is an open mic event featuring writers reading flash fiction. No submissions, no genre restrictions. Just bring your story (100–1000 words), sign up on the night and the mic is yours.

From 6pm

The Versability Shop14 Kindness & Co. GL50 3JS

‘Have no fear, whatever the quality of the straw, Versability will spin it into gold..’ Drop by The Versability Shop’s wordsmiths and give them a few words or a theme and you’ll leave with a poem written especially for you.

6.15–7.30pm

Etgar Keret: Based On A True Story13 The Scandinavian Coffee Pod GL50 3QD

In his short stories, Israeli writer Etgar Keret mixes fantasy and reality. His own life story also comes across as a modern fairy tale. In this hybrid documentary, the filmmakers investigate why storytelling is essential for Keret’s survival. Drop by for a special screening (67mins) and refuel over a coffee.

5–7pm

Haiku And Sake3 Koj GL50 1HE

In honour of our East Meets West Festival theme, stop by Japanese restaurant Koj for a special Japan–inspired session. Enjoy a shot of sake, take away a haiku from our Haiku Poet in Residence, Paul Conneally, or have a go at writing your own, and try some calligraphy with Yoko Takenami.

5–6pm

The Unsung2 The Tavern GL50 3DN

Having won the best spoken word show at 2017 Buxton Fringe Festival, The Unsung by Genevieve Carter is a cross–over piece of new writing combining poetry, music and theatre. Described as ‘the funeral party for all the dead musicians you’ve never heard of’, it is a tribute to the unsung heroes who lost their lives for music, from Radiohead’s drum technician to Prokofiev’s wife.

6–7pm

The Vinyl Revival9 Badlands GL50 3LA

The shop where John Lennon cried. The shop owner who sold his house to buy more vinyl. The shop where a customer drove a world famous band to their gig in his Ford Focus. Independent record shops and the people within them hold fascinating stories. Join music writer Graham Jones who has spent 32 years touring record shops – including Cheltenham’s own legendary Badlands – for an hour of tales and anecdotes from behind the stacks.

5pm until late

It Must Have Been Dark By Then

7 The Stable GL50 3NX

It Must Have Been Dark by Then is a book and audio experience that uses a mixture of evocative music, narration and field recording to bring you stories of changing environments. Unlike many audio guides, there is no pre–set route, the software builds a unique map for each person’s experience and it’s up to you to choose your own path through the town.

Just bring your phone and yourself. We’ll provide headphones and the book.

You can download the app in advance at cheltenhamfestivals.com/litcrawl

5–7pm

Lives Of Colour 4 Aquavitae GL50 1HE

Lives of Colour celebrate difference by giving a platform for people from all ethnicities and social economic backgrounds to share their story. Join them for music and spoken word and delicious East African food (by donation) to fuel up for your night on the Crawl.

From 5pm

Secrets, Lies And Spies5 The Old Courthouse GL50 1ND

Inside Bletchley Park, a little known team of women are recruited to break enemy codes. Double agents are planting false information, but do the Germans believe their lies? The only way to know is to break the code. Come and see scenes from Secrets, Lies and Spies, a play based on the true story of two women who worked at Bletchley Park.

From 6pm

Ghostly Tales8 Cheltenham Library GL50 3JT

As darkness falls across the streets of Cheltenham, join horror expert and M.R. James scholar Darryl Jones for a selection of ghostly tales performed from the library steps.

5pm until late

UN(HEARD) Listening Stations

6 Various Locations; Starts at Everyman Theatre GL50 1HQ

People based in Cheltenham, who have experience of being homeless and vulnerably housed, share their stories. Listen through headphones and meet the people who are are involved in the (UN)HEARD project with The Everyman Theatre and P3. Funded by Commissioners Fund.

PHASE 3: FROM 7PM

Short rolling performances from 7pm until late

Frankenstein: New Skin15 Chapel Arts GL50 3QQ

Join Moth Sanctuary Productions in celebrating 200 years of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece as they revive and re–imagine Frankenstein. By adapting the story into a dance and spoken word piece and gender swapping the central roles, they’ll show how the timeless themes of the novel take on new meaning when presented from the perspective of a woman.

Sign Up from 7pm, Readings from 7.30pm

You Heard It Here First16 The Sober Parrot GL50 3PR

Our popular Festival open–mic night joins the Crawl for the first time! Poetry or prose, bring along a five minute excerpt of your work to perform. Hosted by Caroline Sanderson.

From 7–8pm

Flash!17 The Old Fire Station GL50 3PU

Staff and students from University of Gloucestershire’s Creative Writing Department deliver flash fictions full of love, laughter, existential crisis and loss.

7.30–9pm

Prizes And Prejudice18 Boston Tea Party GL50 3JS

Can you tell your Austen heroines apart? Do you know what went down in Wonderland? How many Little Women can you name? Come and test your knowledge of the classics in an irreverent but affectionate quiz for book lovers.

8–9pm CanteenPundemonium! – The Pub Quiz

Into innuendo? Dabble in double–entendre? Pundemonium! LIVE stormed the Lit Fest stage last year with their night of competitive wordplay. Join them on the Crawl for a special taster session of the main show in this team version, Pundemonium: The Pub Quiz.

8.30–9.30pm Dining RoomWhat If You Couldn’t Polari ‘I Love You’?

Derived from a mix of theatrical, naval, gypsy and other subcultures, Polari became a way of LGBT folks connecting, undercover and undetected. But it’s time Polari had the spotlight: we’ll learn some lingo, have a quick go at conversational Polari and try out some writing exploring our favourite Polari phrases. Well varder her with her bona Polari, eh?

7.15–8.15pm

The Pink House19 Formal House

Music from The Pink House, aka Jojo, a guitarist and vocalist who specialises in alternative rock and soul.

8–10pm Foyer Book Stall

Drop by our lovely Waterstones bookseller’s stall and pick up the books you’ve being hearing from throughout the Crawl.

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Burning Eye Books1 Waterstones GL50 1LE

Burning Eye are to spoken word what City Lights were to the Beat Generation: indispensable champions of a literary movement that is changing the world of poetry. Editor Bridget Hart hosts a powerful showcase of poetry and spoken word from Carys Hannah, Isadora Vibes and Sam Boarer.

9–10pm Canteen/Main Stage

Rosy Carrick, Luke Wright And Hera Lindsay Bird

Between them they’ve garnered praise from Patti Smith, Carol Anne Duffy and John Cooper Clarke. Time to see why! Join three of the hottest and most accomplished performers on the scene for a lively finale of poetry and spoken word.

Maple Rock Design

…around town and Lit Crawl supporters:

Lit Crawl Cheltenham is a project of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival and the Litquake Foundation.

6–7pm

Tales Of Lust And Chocolate14 Kindness & Co. GL50 3JS

Forbidden desire, spicy romance, pure greed! Join Chloe of the Midnight Storytellers for a feel–good assortment of lightly spiced stories. From passionate porcelain to dangerous delights, plus the Japanese strip tease that saved the world. No scripts, no books – this is live, hot off the tongue story cabaret. Naughty but never blue!

SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER, FROM 5PM

Join us and tuck in to a seasonal lunch or supper over the Literature Festival.

TO BOOK A TABLE CALL US ON 01242 221 212

The Unsung 7–8pm

Dementia Voices19 Formal House GL50 3PN

Over a half a million people in the UK are living with a dementia diagnosis. Join Emma Healey, author of the phenomenally successful Elizabeth is Missing; Rod Griffiths, a retired doctor and writer of novels and short stories and psychologist and artist Lois Parker for a moving session of stories, short movies and discussion.

8.15–9.15pm Games Room Christopher Bliss

Christopher Bliss writes two to three novels a day. He’s fairly well known amongst his family and friends, and he’s pretty sure he’s the best writer in his village. One of the Edinburgh Festival’s ‘hidden treasures’ (Fest), Rob Carter brings his loveable character to Cheltenham for the very first time.

‘One of the best character shows we’ve seen for a long time’ Comedy.co.uk

‘Consistently pant–wettingly funny’ Fest

‘This is how character comedy should be done’ CHORTLE

PHASE 5: FROM 10PM

10pm until late

After Party @ The Bottle of Sauce

5 Mics are an acapella beatbox, hip–hop group consisting of rappers JPDL and Griz–O, beatboxers TMS and Sheps, and singer Grove. They bring an electrifying, adrenaline fuelled performance, fusing soul, hip–hop, UKG, dancehall and much more with potent rap and soulful melodies. We promise you won’t stand still.

Bostin Brass Band Time to get your dancing on with Birmingham’s very own second–line, jazz, funk & ska soul stew!

DJ Echo Juliet (aka Emily Jones) spins dancefloor–filling funk, soul and disco alongside feel–good afro and latin beats. Hailing from Birmingham, she’s an all–rounder, DJing regularly in Brum’s various venues, crafting mixes for the world’s most popular jazz website All About Jazz and programming a jazz festival.

8–10pm FoyerPoet For Hire

Typewriters at the ready! Give our Poets for Hire a title and the poets will write you a poem while you wait.

8–9pm SnugBen Cipolla

A Wiltshire–based singer–songwriter whose seamless time–signature hopping and intoxicating guitar technique has seen him go from street busking to the airwaves of BBC Radio 2.

Other great events @ The Bottle of Sauce

The Alternative Book Club (Wed 10 Oct, 7.30pm) and Hammer & Tongue presenting the all new Cheltenham all stars poetry slam with special guest Simon Munnery (Thurs 11 Oct, 7.30pm).

Visit dodopubs.com/locations/the–bottle–of–sauce to find out more.