It is with a huge fanfare that Visit Dulverton announces its new and exciting event for 2022 – The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival! Taking place over the weekend of 19/20 November and billed as ‘A new Exmoor festival for story-lovers of all ages!”
There will be six hour-long informal talks taking place throughout the day in Dulverton Town Hall on Sunday 20 November, given by bestselling authors and writers on a variety of topics such as politics and drama, sport, psychology, historical, romantic and crime fiction, food and wine, yoga and writing for children.
Festival-goers can expect an illuminating talk from Norman Scott discussing his recently-released memoir An Accidental Icon, looking back at his life and his much-documented turbulent relationship with 1970’s Liberal politician Jeremy Thorpe, including his attempted murder on Porlock Hill. The UK’s most respected rugby union columnist, Rob Kitson, will talk about his bestseller Exe Men: The Extraordinary Rise of Exeter Chiefs, and MasterChef judge William Sitwell, one of Britain’s leading food writers, will discuss the history of food, including the problems associated with feeding Britain during WWII – so topical today.
Festival Director, Ali Pegrum said “Since first imagining the festival at the beginning of the year, we have received an immense amount of encouragement and support from a host of authors, writers, publishers and libraries right across the South West – all keen to help promote Exmoor’s very own inaugural literary festival and encourage reading and writing for everyone. As the Southern Gateway to Exmoor, Dulverton is the perfect place to host such an event and we hope that it will be repeated annually.”
Details of other bestselling authors attending the festival will be released shortly, along with the full programme and links to ticket purchasing. Each talk will include time for audience questions, followed by author book signing in the festival’s in-house popup bookshop provided by Waterstones Barnstaple. There’ll even be an opportunity for a brief seated yoga meditation therapy session with Colin Dunsmuir, writer and a leading voice in the global yoga community.
The winner and runners up of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Writing Competition will be announced on the Sunday, with the winning entry read out by the competition’s judge, historical fiction author Kate Lord Brown. The competition will be open to all children from Reception to Year Six, more details to follow.
The entire two-day event has been generously sponsored by local businesses Stockham Farm Exmoor, Exmoor News, Hedley Price Funeral Directors, Jeff Pegrum Landscaping, PFG Fabrication, Town Mills B&B, Tozers Solicitors, Ware Construction, Rothwell & Dunworth Books, First Design Print Web, Stags Estate Agents, Osteo & Physio Tiverton, Maitland Walker Solicitors and The Exclusive Cake Company.
The festival was the brain child of Dulverton’s Town Council Chair, Christine Dubery, who had gathered together a selection of some of the best local artisan producers. She said “We wanted to create a summer event to celebrate the extraordinary variety of quality local small independent craftspeople and producers that are often difficult to discover in a rural community. To have them all in one place in Dulverton was ideal and gave visitors on the day the chance to explore the town and its shops and eateries too.”
With free admission, festival goers enjoyed stalls selling home-produced meat, beer, cider, spirits, cakes, puddings, jams and pickles. Gifted craftspeople had stalls of clothing, homeware, leather goods, bags, gifts, pet products and more. Exmoor was fully represented with Exmoor Fudge, Exmoor Tea, the Exmoor Pizza Pod and who could resist a delicious Italian sausage roll from Exmoor Feasting or a beautifully blended Pina Colada from Exmoor Distillery? Live music kept feet tapping throughout the day.
Families made much of the sunshine by paddling in the River Barle under the iconic medieval bridge whilst devouring ploughman’s lunches from Selworthy Pantry and ice creams from Scrumdiddly Gelato. Local business YASU Therapies were offering reiki massage experience sessions in the shade beside the river.
It was great to see members of Dulverton’s Fire Brigade chatting to visitors outside the Fire Station opposite the festival, encouraging new volunteers to join their incredible team – with the occasional loud toot from the red fire engine!
On Friday 3rd June, Dulverton celebrated in style with a fabulous Party on the Lawns beside the River Barle, to which residents and visitors were warmly invited. Local residents aged over 75, children and those involved with the Covid Community Support Group were all treated to a wonderful Aftertnoon Tea in a huge marquee festooned with bunting and Union Jack flags. Traditional garden games (including Splat the Rat of course!) were played by all, and everyone enjoyed some fabulous music by local duo Timescale, the remarkable Deane Big Band, the Exmoor Voices and local band Hounds of Oblivion. A wonderful time was had by all in the sunshine.
To complete the celebrations, the Music on the Lawns event was held in the marquee on Sunday 5th June – and the rainy weather didn’t spoil the atmosphere at all! A gin bar kindly provided by Dulverton’s own Exmoor Distillery kept spirits high, along with an incredible Tea Tent filled with locally baked cakes. Musical entertainment was provided by the brilliant Blooming Flutes performing medleys of our favourite tunes, and recent Two Moors Festival Competition Winners delivered exquisite classical music on the cello, clarinet and saxophone. The afternoon concluded with some wonderful songs from the local Take Note Community Choir – and a roaring Dulverton rendition of the National Anthem of course!
On Sunday 18 July an opportunity for runners of all ages to cross Dulverton’s beautiful countryside in the second annual Dulverton Fun Run & Canicross. Cross country trail running along 2km, 5km or 10km routes – with or without your dog of course! Who will be brave enough to tackle the Dulverton Demon – a steep, wooded hill leading from Marsh Bridge up towards Court Down?! Beautiful but challenging! Learn more 
