cambridge literary festival

What’s On in Cambridge – April

Spring has sprung and the sun is shining! There’s plenty happening in the city and I’ll update this listing through the month so do check back when you can. Please get in touch if you know of an event that I could add in here!

Willow at Fort St George bridge Cambridge — Fresh green willow at Fort St George

1 – 7th Love Cambridge Restaurant Week. Menus at £5, £10 and £15 in a variety of cafes and restaurants across the city. http://www.cambridgebid.co.uk/restaurant-week Read more about Love Cambridge Restaurant Week here

2nd 7 – 9pm Cambridge 1888 – 1988 – Chronicle of an English University City. Mill Road History Society. The Bath House, Gwydir Street. http://www.millroadhistory.org.uk/events

5th 7.30pm Dining in the Dark. Identify key ingredients of your starter and dessert while blindfolded. Fundraiser for Cam Sight. The Red Lion, Hinxton. http://www.camsight.org.uk Read more about Cam Sight here

5 – 7th Cambridge Literary Festival. http://www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com Read more about the Festival here

6th 10am – 1pm Family Saturday – Nature Weaving. Have fun, play and weave amazing creations using natural material from the Garden. Free event. Cambridge University Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

6th 12 noon – 3pm The Leper Chapel Opening. A chance to see inside one of the oldest buildings in Cambridge. The Chapel is not usually open to the public. Free entry, donations appreciated. Cambridge Past, Present and Future. The Leper Chapel, off Newmarket Road. FB: @CambridgePFF

6th 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Activities and art making on the theme of “coin it”. Free, drop in. Fitzwilliam Museum. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

6th 7.30pm Movie Music Spectacular. Cambridge Wind Band. West Road Concert Hall. In support of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. http://www.adcticketing.com

6 – 22nd April Easter Trail. Pick up a free trail from the Ticket Office, go on a springtime adventure and collect an Easter prize at the end. Drop in, self led trail. Cambridge University Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

8th 7.30 – 10pm Louise Jordan – The Hard Way. One woman performance of live music and theatre charting the rise of a working class suffragette. St Barnabas Centre, Mill Road. http://www.cambridgefolkclub.co.uk

9th 2 – 4pm Printing Workshop for 8 – 12 year olds. Design your own T shirt to take home with you. Booking required. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

9th 7.30pm Concert for Cam Sight. Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Nielsen. Easter Concert Orchestra. All ticket receipts and donations go to Cam Sight. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com/whats-on/concert/concert-for-camsight Read more about Cam Sight here

10th 7 – 8.30pm Personal medicines: all in your genes? Talk from Cafe Sci Cambridge. Espresso Library, East Road. FB @cafescicambridge

11th 1 – 3pm What can art do? Explore environmental activism for 13 – 19 year olds. Free, booking required. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

12th 10am – 1pm Cambridge Jobs Fair. Speak with potential employers face to face (don’t forget to bring your CV!). The Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.thejobfairs.co.uk

13th 1.30 – 4pm Toy Swap. Bring toys to swap. Also a pilot books (fiction/children) and clothes (women/children) swap plus Full Circle, Cambridge’s own zero waste shop, will be there. Free event. Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, CB3 1AA http://www.atoyslifeandbeyond Read more about Full Circle Shop here

13th 5pm “Waste Not, Want Not: How to live zero waste and plastic-free”. Talk by Full Circle Shop. Free entry, donations welcome. Stir Cafe, Chesterton Road. FB @FullCircleShopUK Read more about Full Circle Shop here

14th 12 – 4pm Studio Sunday. Art making workshops for families with children of all ages. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

19 – 20th 10am – 5pm Botanical Days. A botanical themed event and pop up shop from Cultivate Gardens with refreshments by Caffiend. Hope Street Yard, off Mill Road. http://www.cultivategardens.co.uk

19 – 22nd 12 – 4pm Action Drawing. Drawing activities inspired by the Oscar Murillo Violent Amnesia exhibition. Free, drop in. Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

22 – 23rd 7.45pm (and 2.30pm on 23rd) Ballet Central. ADC Theatre. http://www.adctheatre.com

24th 7.30pm True Stories Told Live. NCI Club, Holland Street. FB:@cambridgetruestories

28th 2 – 3.30pm Writers in Conversation. Jill Dawson in conversation with Dame Gillian Beer. Stapleford Granary, CB22. Literature Cambridge. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk Read more about Literature Cambridge here

30th 6.30 – 9pm The Tasting Table with Dulcedo, The Baking Jin and Bumble & Oak. Innovative dishes, fusion bakes, high end patisserie and artisan chocolate. Dulcedo Patisserie, Hills Road. http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-tasting-table-with-dulcedo-the-baking-jin-and-bumble-oak-tickets

Blossom Cambridge — A froth of blossom on my neighbour’s tree

Cambridge Literary Festival – Spring 2019

The Box Office is now open for Cambridge Literary Festival which runs from 5 – 7 April, bringing together novelists, scientists, politicians, broadcasters, campaigners and thinkers in lively conversation and engaged debate.

You’ll find a wealth of new fiction, world literature, memoir and more as well as a fabulous children’s programme which includes “Happy Birthday, Elmer!”, an interactive story time to celebrate everybody’s favourite multicoloured elephant.

From the New Statesman Debate, “This house believes identity politics is an impediment to progress”, to afternoon tea at the University Arms Hotel with broadcaster and author Jenni Murray, the Spring Festival has something for everyone.

For the full Festival line up and to book tickets, head to www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

To read more about the Cambridge Literary Festival and its founder, Cathy Moore, click here

http://www.chrisboland.com

One of the things I love most about writing for my blog and this column is the people I meet. People who are getting on with their daily lives, have that light bulb moment and just go for it to create something wonderful in the city. People like Cathy Moore, founder of the Cambridge Literary Festival.

Cathy first came to the city to read History at Newnham College and was only the second person from her Liverpool comprehensive school to make it to the University of Cambridge. She also loved English and books so after graduation, Cathy built a career in publishing before taking some time out to be with her young family. A spell in teaching followed but Cathy returned to Cambridge and books, working part time in Waterstones and running their programme of events. That’s where she met writer Ali Smith and as the two of them chatted about the Hay Literary Festival, they wondered why there wasn’t a similar event in Cambridge.

Within months, Cathy had created Wordfest, doing everything herself and setting up twenty four events in three venues. That was back in March 2003. “There were about sixty literary festivals then”, Cathy tells me, “and now there are around four hundred in the UK, so we’re all in competition for the authors.” Wordfest grew, events regularly sold out and initiatives like the debut writers panel made it truly a festival for writers as well as readers. After gaining charitable status, Wordfest rebranded as Cambridge Literary Festival in 2014. It now brings Spring and Winter festivals to the city as well as one-off events through the year and since 2017 has delivered the Wimpole History Festival in partnership with the National Trust.

These days, Cathy isn’t doing everything herself! She and her small team have an office in Downing Place and they have strong support from patrons, media partnerships and sponsors. A band of volunteer stewards welcomes the many thousands of festival goers and enables events to run smoothly for both authors and audiences. More volunteers are always welcome so if you’re interested in giving your time (and enjoying some volunteer perks!), contact the team through the website.

Festival venues this year include several beautiful university spaces which are normally hidden from public view. Refreshments will be available at most of these so you can grab a quick drink and a snack between events. Heffers run a bookstall and there are author signings too.

I’m really excited for this winter’s Festival; it’s always a fun, buzzy weekend and the packed programme truly offers something for everyone, including a brand new Murder Mystery Musical from Sophie Hannah which sounds intriguing! You’ll find details of what’s on and a booking facility through the Festival website at www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

http://www.chrisboland.com

This post is part of my “New in Cambridge” column in the November issue of Velvet Magazine. Read more on http://www.velvetmag.co.uk

What’s on in November

As the nights draw in and the leaves crunch under our feet, it’s another busy month here in Cambridge. This what’s on listing for November is by no means exhaustive but you’ll find an eclectic mix of events that have come to my attention. Please get in touch through my Contact page if you know of an event that I can add in. And I’ll try to update through the month, so do check back when you can.

Autumn morning on Midsummer Common Cambridge — Autumn morning on Midsummer Common, image by Harriet Kelsall

1st 6pm Parisian Women and the Nazi Occupation, uncovering their lives and their relationships. Part of the Liberation Literature Lecture Series. The Auditorium, Robinson College. Booking essential. http://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk

2nd 7.30pm Michaelmas Concert. Vaughan Williams, Stanford and Beethoven. Clare College Music Society. West Road Concert Hall, CB3

3rd Remembering the First World War. Literature Cambridge Study Day. Stapleford Granary, CB22 5BP http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk Read more about Literature Cambridge here

3rd 1pm Voices and Viols, Laments of the Renaissance. Carissimi, Gibbons, Weelkes and Byrd. Erasmus Chamber Choir with Cambridge University Consort of Viols. St. Clements Church, Bridge Street, CB2

6th Translation as Music, Music as Translation. Part of Women, Languages and Translation in the Italian Tradition Conference. Talk 4.50 – 5.30pm. Concert 6 – 7pm Bach, Chopin and Brahms. Clare College. Advance registration required on womenandtranslation2018@gmail.com

7th 5 – 9pm Late at the Fitzwilliam: Feminist Takeover. Fitzwilliam Museum http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/events

9th (until 12th Dec) 10am – 6pm Metamorphoses & Other Prints, an exhibition of art works by David Brown. http://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk

9 – 10th Cambridge Festival of Ukrainian Film. Winstanley Theatre, Trinity College. http://www.CambridgeUkrainianStudies.org

9th 7pm West Road Remembers, a remembrance concert. West Road Concert Hall, CB3

10th 3pm History of Tango. Talk and dance demonstration by Cambridge Tango Academy. St Paul’s Church, Hills Road, CB2. http://www.cambridgelivetickets.co.uk

10th 3.15pm O Nata Lux. London Oriana Choir. Monteverdi, Vaughan-Williams, Britten, Andrew, Hagan and Dale. Queens’ College Chapel. Free entry. http://www.londonoriana.com

10th 7.30pm Pujol Plays Tango. St Paul’s Church, Hills Road, CB2. http://www.pujolcambridge.com

10th 7.30pm A Farewell to Arms, an evening of music to reflect on war and peace. Fairhaven Singers. Queens’ College Chapel. http://www.fairhavensingers.org.uk

10th 8pm The Seraphin Chamber Orchestra. Mahler and Schubert. Emmanuel United Reformed Church, CB2 http://www.seraphinchamberorchestra.com

11th 8.30pm An evening of new choral and orchestral music to commemorate the WW1 armistice centenary. The Phoenix Choir and The Phoenix Ensemble. Great St Mary’s Church, CB2. http://www.adcticketing.com/armistice or tickets on the door

12th 7.45pm Science meets Faith: Issues concerning palliative and end of life care. Dr Stephen Barclay. Wesley Church, CB1

13 – 27th Cambridge International Jazz Festival http://www.cambridgejazzfestival.info

14 – 17th Cambridge Beer Festival. University Social Club, Mill Lane, CB2 http://www.cambridgebeerfestival.com

14 – 26th Cambridge Music Festival http://www.cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk

16th 7.30pm A Courtly Garland. Orpheus Britannicus. Grossi, Handel, Finger and Torelli. Trinity Hall, CB2 http://www.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/news-events/events

17th The North Pole Ice Rink opens. Parker’s Piece, CB1. http://www.thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

17th 11am – 4.30pm Sustainable Fashion Festival. St Barnabas Church, Mill Road, CB1 http://www.circularcambridge.org/fashion. Read more here

17th 8pm Trinity Singers Concert. Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonnelle. Trinity College Chapel.

17th 7.30pm Raise your Voices Cambridge. A variety of musical styles and songs, raising money for Church Urban Fund. Great St Mary’s Church, CB2 http://www.raiseyourvoices.org.uk

18th 11am – 4pm Naomi Davies Art Winter Open Studio. Cake, carols, cards, gifts and paintings. 151 Hobart Road, CB1 http://naomidaviesart.co.uk/winter-open-studio-on-18-november/

18th 5pm Christmas Lights Switch On. Market Square, CB1

23 – 25th Cambridge Literary Festival http://www.cambridgeliteraryfestival.com

24th 8pm Enchantment and Passion. Delibes, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and Khachaturian. Cambridge Graduate Orchestra. West Road Concert Hall, CB3. http://www.cambridgegraduateorchestra.com

29th – 1st Dec Cambridge Made Christmas Fair. St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church, CB2 Facebook: Cambridge Made Christmas Fair 2018 Read more about Cambridge Made and last year’s Christmas Fair here

30th 6 – 8pm Pots for Poverty. Charity sale raising funds for Jimmy’s Night Shelter. The Locker Cafe, King Street, CB1. Read more about last year’s Pots for Poverty here

30th 6 – 9pm Late at Kettle’s Yard. Kettle’s Yard, CB3. http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/events/late-at-kettles-yard

Autumn colour in Trumpington Street Cambridge — Autumn colour on Trumpington Street