2019 ESSEX BOOK FESTIVAL - REPRISING 1999

Can it really be twenty years since the Essex Book Festival team gathered in Chelmsford to plan that very first Book Festival in 1999? I've been trying to find the initial brochure that brought so many readers (and writers) into the Chelmsford Library on launch day, aided and abetted by BBC Essex. 

Our current Festival Events Diary is outlined in our website www.essexbookfestival.org.uk and you can see for yourself what's in store.   Essex Festival Director, Ros Green, is always full of surprises and this year, she and her team have surpassed themselves.  On offer there are over 130 events taking place in 45 venues across the county and our theme for 2019 is UNCHARTED WATERS, inspired by the 80th anniversary of Arthur Ransome's Secret Water, which we will be marking as part of our opening weekend in Harwich. 

Since Essex Libraries founded the Festival in 1999, we are thrilled to be hosting events in over 24 libraries countywide. With so much controversy regarding closure of libraries in Britain, we really must support and make most of these wonderful places -  USE IT OR LOSE IT! 

Hope to meet many of you at some of the libraries in Essex hosting the Festival events from 1st to 31st March.