Margate Bookie litfest is back Thursday 19 October – Sunday 22 October with a jam-packed line up including Deborah Levy, A.C. Grayling, Sathnam Sanghera, Yomi Adegoke, Miki Berenyi, Philippe Sands and Ian Dunt.
Margate Bookie, now in its eighth year, has a new venue partnership with Dreamland this year, alongside long-standing venue partners Turner Contemporary and The Margate School.
The Bookie festival will include poetry and music, comedy and art, politics and fiction, and an extensive fun-packed children’s programme. There will be creative writing workshops, a poetry slam headlined by UK Poetry Slam Champion Rick Dove and two full days of children’s events.
Among the headline acts is TV and Guardian writer Grace Dent on Sunday October 22nd. Grace will be in talks with Margate’s very own Daisy Buchanan about her new book Comfort Eating: What We Eat When Nobody’s Looking
From one of the nation’s best-loved food writers, Comfort Eating is a wonderfully scrumptious, life-affirming journey through the foods that really mean the most to us.
Have you ever wondered why eating cheese can sometimes feel like a cuddle?
Or how a big bowl of pasta can be just what we need after a tough day?
In Comfort Eating, Grace Dent throws open her kitchen cupboards to reveal why we hold these secret snacks and naughty nibbles so dear to our hearts.
Tickets for Margate Bookie now on sale here.
Tickets for Margate Bookie now on sale here.
A look at some more of the stars:
Adam Kay with Roopa Farooki – Undoctored
When the former doctor Adam Kay published This Is Going To Hurt in 2017, he had no idea that the book would be read by many millions, and adapted into a major TV series. His latest laugh-out-loud number Undoctored covers what’s happened since hanging up his scrubs.
Adam will be in conversation on Saturday, October 21 at Dreamland, with Broadstairs author Roopa Farooki, whose memoir Everything Is True is out now, Saturday, 21st October
Franny Moore The Extraordinary Life and Momentous Times of J.M.W. Turner
Flying the flag for one of Margate’s leading muses, acclaimed author and curator Franny Moyle tells us about Turner’s real connection to Margate.
Head to Franny’s session at Turner Contemporary (naturally) on Sunday from 2pm.
Andi Osho and Lou Sanders with Daisy Buchanan
Actor, writer, comedian and film maker Andi Osho (Asking for a Friend, Tough Crowd) stars in a live recording of the much loved You’re Booked podcast at Turner Contemporary on Saturday from 12.30pm. The special guest is stand-up comedian, writer and actress Lou Sanders who’s from Broadstairs.
Rob Newman – Life-Sized Nation
Rob’s very special appearance at Dreamland on Saturday night will be an epic sell-out. His multi-award-winning radio series and podcasts include Robert Newman’s Total Eclipse of Descartes and Robert Newman’s Entirely Accurate Encyclopaedia of Evolution.
Max la Manna – Cookery Demo
Max La Manna is an award-winning author, low-waste chef and digital creator whose viral, easy-to-follow recipe videos have racked up over 1 billion views across socials.
Join the Bookie at 11am on Sunday 22nd and catch Max rustling up No-bake Pumpkin Pie with a chance to sample it too! Max will be signing his latest book at 11.30am.
This event is free of charge and there is no need to register, simply come down to Dreamland to see Max in action!
Tickets for Margate Bookie are on sale now here.
Plus many more authors, writers, podcasters, poets, workshops, talkers and thinkers
Fiction – Tessa Hadley, Jacqueline Crookes, Laura Vine
Local Authors – Kat Diamond, Bernie Morgan, Rosa Rankin-Gee
Free Children’s Events –Tamara Macfarlane, Garry Parsons, Sam Gayton
Poetry – The Bookie Slam, Harry Baker, 14 Anthology Launch,
Sunday Podcasts – Rosie Wilby, Mr Iain Aitch, Charlene Prempeh
Non Fiction – Sir Peter Lampl, Ian Dunt, Bart van Es
Music – Miki Berneyi, James and Jude Cook, Pete the Temp
Tickets for Margate Bookie are on sale now here. For more info visit www.margatebookie.com
Well worth supporting, fantastic lineup
Do you think those fees can be justified?
Amazing they can get such superstars to Thanet.
People like this usually appear at the Hay Festival.
Wonderful lineup
Festival Pass – General Release – £84.00 £75.00 + £9.00 Fees…
EIGHTY-FOUR QUID!?
The Birchington Literary Festival weekend in June had some arguably better known names, yet it was completely free!
Max la Manna! Max la Manna! How on earth did they get him?? He’s got over 1 million followers on the socials. I’m going!
(Yeah – I so would!!!)
Lou Sanders is more my type, but not for that money.
This to me is a reminder of all the local writing talent that resides in our lovely island.
Garry Parsons
Daisy Buchanan
Sam Gayton
Kat Diamond
Bernie Morgan
Rosa Rankin-Gee
Rosie Wilby
Iain Aitch
Charlene Prempeh
Roopa Farooki
Daisy Buchanan
This is very positive for Thanet and its future.
I’d add Carol Salter to that list (not my genre, but she’s a local author at the top of her game).
Bernie is my favourite.
big names ? ive never heard of any of them
That’s a shock. World class intellectuals like you are normally big readers.
That’s because you’re an abject dullard.
Pete, on the other hand, is just miffed no one wants to read his pervy book
Which book is that? Sounds interesting!
I look forward to this every year!
I remember Rob History Today Newman of course & Grayling, but big names for the rest is about as accurate as most of the people on I’m (Not) A Celebrity.
I didn’t recognise him from the photo, but I remember Newman from his 90s partnership with David Baddiel.
There are some notable music writers out there, such as Andy Neill, Keith Badman, Alan Clayson and Spencer Leigh. I’d make the effort if they were booked, instead of the woman from Lush.
Andi Osho, superstar! What on earth makes a person with her talent come to Margate?
Wasn’t she in ‘Casualty’ or ‘Holby City’?
Grace Dent, love her and love her writing. A shame more food writers don’t talk about Margate
The Bookie is one of the best things about Margate. I missed it last year, so am really excited to go now.
I hear Adam Kay tickets have already sold out. Is that the case?