Stars line up for Stokey Literary Festival

Paloma Faith, Laura Dockrill, Andi Oliver, Caitlin Moran and The Guardian’s John Crace are among those appearing at this year’s Stoke Newington Literary Festival.

The festival takes place on the weekend of June 7th-9th with events centred around the Mildmay Club and Newington Green Meeting House.

Andi Oliver will host a gala night on the Friday, celebrating the voices of women over 40 and on Saturday night poet and author Laura Dockrill will interview critically acclaimed musician Paloma Faith about her life growing up in Hackney and her new book MILF.

Henry Morris, AKA The Secret Tory, spent four years parodying a Conservative MP on Twitter and amassed 200,000 followers. He’s since published a book and will be in conversation with Caitlin Moran at 8pm on Saturday June 8th.

On Sunday June 9th Former Buzzcock’s Manager dubbed the World’s Coolest Librarian Richard Boon will be running his legendary Juke Box Fury with Thurston Moore, Helen O’Hara (Dixy’s Midnight Runners) and Michael Cragg as special guests.

The Guardian’s sketch-writer John Crace talks to fellow journalist Michelle Kambasha (Sunday 4pm-5pm) about the challenge of skewering the news every day and how he creates such pen-perfect caricatures.

Joel Morris, the comedy writer behind Paddington, Paddington 2, Philomena, Cunk, Screenwipe and That Mitchell and Webb Look will be talking about everything from stand-up to slap-stick, sitcom to spoof, revealing the mechanisms that make jokes work (1pm-2pm on Saturday).

Heidi Early, Chair of Stoke Newington Business Association, said: “Every year this amazing festival draws new people to the area and brings the community together for entertainment and enlightenment.  This year’s line-up looks incredible.  In between events, we hope visitors will book in to the area’s fabulous cafes, restaurants and pubs and mooch the local shops. Times are hard for small businesses and events like this make the world of difference.”

There will also be fabulous family activities; including a barn dance and a writing workshop for kids with author Tom Huddleston.

Stoke Newington Literary Festival was launched in 2010 celebrating the area’s radical and literary history. It has become one of the UK’s most eclectic, diverse and fun literary events.

For the full programme, visit https://stokenewingtonliteraryfestival.com/the-programme/