Stoke Newington Literary Festival

We routinely get great feedback about the reasonable prices we charge for our events and if you look at other festivals, you might see why. Every year, we also programme a small but perfectly formed schedule of free events, partly because we’re nice like that and partly because we want to make sure there’s something for even the thinnest wallet.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you can’t buy more tickets. One of the biggest buzzes we get from the festival is people telling us they’ve been encouraged by reasonable ticket prices to try something new. So, if you’re a regular at any of Stoke Newington’s Turkish & Kurdish restaurants and local shops, you might like to hear Turkey’s leading female writer Elif Shafak talk about the issue of ‘honour’ within the community (Sat 2nd, 4pm, Town Hall), or join Hollywood screenwriter Tony Grisoni (Sun 3rd, 2pm, Library Gallery) who’ll be talking about – and screening – his Bafta nominated short film Kingsland: a fascinating look at the inner workings of the Kurdish community in Dalston, seen through the eyes of a new arrival.

Similarly, if you’ve never really ‘got’ the folk revival, our Bert Lloyd event (Sat, 3pm, White Hart) is a brilliant slice through the scene and a look at one of its most influential figures, together with a short folk set featuring some of the music that influenced a whole generation of musicians, including Frank Zappa.

If you’re in a bit of a rut, or just need some inspiration, at just £5, The School of Life’s 3 Saturday ‘sermons’ in Clissold House are just the ticket.

Even some of our paid events have free stuff: Pete Brown’s Beer & Classic Album Matching (Sun, White Hart, 1pm) comes with free beer, Afternoon Tea with Jenny Colgan (Sun, Homa, 4pm) comes with a free cupcake and the Genteel Tipple Through Gin in Literature (Sun, Library Gallery, 4pm) comes with free gin.

With all this recession-busting loveliness, you’d be bonkers not to get your moth-eaten wallet up to Stoke Newington over Jubilee Weekend!

FREE ADULT EVENTS

Community Spirit: How Do we Live Together?
Sat 2nd, Abney Public Hall, 4pm

RIP the book?
Sat 2nd, St Mary’s Old Church, 5pm

Storytails
Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd, White Hart, 11am

“Acquired for Development By…” A Hackney Anthology
Sat 2nd, Mascara Bar, 2pm

POETRY AT THE MASCARA BAR

Well Versed
Friday 1st & Sat 2nd

Stoke Newington Poets
Sun 3rd, 2pm

KIDS’ EVENTS

Drawing workshop with Karin Littlewood
Sun 3rd, Town Hall, 11am

Pongy Prose for Whiffy Writers
Sat 2nd, Library Gallery, 1pm

• Home
• Our venues
• Blog
• About
• Sign up
• Speakers
• The Programme

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Share