# Event Details - **Event Name**: Southam Book Festival 2026 - **Event Start and End Date**: Sun, 11 Oct, 2026 at 11:00 am – Sun, 11 Oct, 2026 at 04:00 pm - **Event Description**: Visit Southam Bookfest 2026! We have a delightful line-up of speakers and stallholders, competitions, a raffle, a quiz, and coffee/cake!About this EventThis year's focus will be on the Speaker sessions, supported by our regular exhibition in the main hall.​​​​​Last year the main hall was full to capacity with eager exhibitors, not only individual local authors and writing groups, but poets, publishers, a bookbinder and in fact anyone who supports the written/spoken word as an art form. Book lovers had a field day browsing the stalls and taking part in the various talks and discussions. We also had a literary quiz to test knowledge of books & authors. And as usual tea and home made cakes from the WI will be a feature of the day. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/d4b90b20-c484-11f1-8bb2-5d370764ebd0-rimg-w987-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/d50640c0-c484-11f1-8bb2-5d370764ebd0-rimg-w987-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events4/banners/d53d7d60-c484-11f1-8bb2-5d370764ebd0-rimg-w843-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/d595af80-c484-11f1-8bb2-5d370764ebd0-rimg-w843-h740-dc080808-gmir.jpg The Flash Fiction short story competition will be held again - we had 225 entries in 2025, with all proceeds going directly to supporting the Graham Adams Centre.Our "Book in the Window" shop display competition was very well supported, with 28 local businesses taking part with lots of creative and amusing entries. The winning entry was Galanos with 'The Tiger who came to Tea'. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/d5c87f50-c484-11f1-8bb2-5d370764ebd0-rimg-w988-h740-dcf8f8f8-gmir.jpg And of course the cafe will be open for hot drinks and lots of yummy cakes, staffed by our brilliant volunteers from the WI .The cafe is cash only at the moment. Should you require an ATM they are present at the nearby Town Centre, Tesco supermarket and Shell fuel garage https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events3/banners/d5f20050-c484-11f1-8bb2-5d370764ebd0-rimg-w988-h740-dcd8c8a8-gmir.jpg A big THANK YOU goes out to our sponsors The Book Trade Charity whose continuing donations enable us make the festival a success.Find us on socials!InstaFacebookBookfest 2026 - 11th Oct?: 11:00 AMBookfest Opens!Host: Southam BookfestInfo: 30+ exhibitors will be in the main hall ready, willing, and able to discuss their craft with you! There will be many beautiful items for sale and our café will be open for hot drinks and lots of yummy cakes, staffed by our brilliant volunteers from the WI. Our lovely speakers will be giving their talks in the Oak Room?: 11:45 AMRenaissance & The Enchantment Project - Poetry and AccessibilityHost: Amy ClennelInfo: Poet and fiction author Amy Clennell will begin her talk discussing her first book of poetry, Renaissance. Although partially-sighted and unable to see enough to read, Amy wants others with visual impairments to be able to access her writing. Consequently, all her poems from Renaissance are available on her YouTube channel and Amy will explain how this came about with the help of local ‘celebrity’, Iain Lauchlan (actor/writer,director/producer/presenter and Dame!) Amy will then give three short poetry readings, the last of which will link to her new novella, The Enchantment Project. She will share with you how and why she came to write the novella, including an amusing anecdote about a project in Southam. Finally, in the absence of a current PA, Amy’s mum will read the first chapter from Amy’s The Enchantment Project.?: 12:30 PMIt's Never Really Over - A journey through the writing and publishing processHost: Anna BykInfo: Anna will be discussing her writing journey, the publishing process including self-publishing, as well her debut novel - 'It's Never Really Over'. The novel is a contemporary story centred on five interconnected women and partially set in Warwickshire, with references to Stratford, Shakespeare and other regional landmarks. Written in monologue style, each woman begins their story by describing to the reader their present moment setting, before going back in time to relay their life story and ending by summarising their present circumstances. The women range from mid-thirties to seventies in age and each describe what has happened and what could have been – the lost lovers, fortunes, failures, and missed opportunities. Their stories show how fate pushes you to where you need to be, whether you like it or not, and how, when it comes to certain aspects of their lives, it’s never really over.?: 01:15 PMDidn't Anyone Ever Tell You? A journey of courageHost: Andy MullaneyInfo: A bowel cancer diagnosis in 2024 transformed Andy’s perspective and strengthened his commitment to helping others face adversity with courage and hope. His second book, Didn’t Anyone Ever Tell You? Never Trust a Fart! Surviving and Beating Bowel Cancer, to be published in 2026, tells his story openly, with humour too, encouraging early diagnosis, resilience and positivity in the face of life’s toughest challenges. Andy’s talk will tell of his bowel cancer experience from diagnosis through to now. He’ll showcase the chapters in his book and also talk in depth about the mental battle we face, including for those who love and support us. There are so many missed opportunities for diagnosis and Andy believes knowledge is power. His only symptom was fatigue and 60% who present with that as the only sign are stage 4. We need to change that. ?: 02:00 PMWhat Makes a good horror story? An insight into the macabre and forebodingHost: Jacci GoodingInfo: A lover of ghost and creepy horror stories since an early age, Jacci will discuss what makes a good horror story, what the hooks are and why the genre is so popular. If you've ever glimpsed something out of the corner of your eye, or felt your skin prickle with fear, then this talk is for you! Her short story compilation A Collection of Unsettling Short Stories; Leave the Light On reflects the world around us through a darker, and at times, foreboding, lens. She will share with you a creepy story from her fully revised and updated book, hopefully demonstrating that when writing horror, less is definitely more. With an extra story just for the chill of it, her unique collection of stories is a delicious assortment of the macabre and the creepy, the gruesome and the ghostly. Jacci’s compilation contains the winning entry of Writing Magazine's horror competition 2012, plus a story shortlisted for the Dark Fantasy Anthology 2018. Jacci is currently editing her second full novel?: 02:45 PMNever Too Late to Reach for a DreamHost: Karen StoreyInfo: Think you're too old to embark on a dream? Karen Storey returned to her childhood wish of becoming a writer at the age of fifty-eight. Her debut novel was published after the age of sixty. This novel, 'The Approval of Sheep,' was a finalist in this year's prestigious Joan Hessayon Award for its romcom elements and has been recently picked up by a screenwriter for film adaptation. Karen will talk about her life, her influences, and why she feels it's never too late to start a new career.?: 03:30 PMCompetition Winners, Prize Giving, QuizHost: Southam BookfestInfo: Join us in the main hall where we will reveal the winning entry of our flash fiction competition, present the prize shield for the "Book in the Window", present the winner of our book cover competition and announce the winners of raffle prizes alongside the answers to our quiz!?: 04:00 PM - 04:00 PMFestival ClosesInfo: Thank you so much for coming! We hope you can join us again next year!23rd Sept - Rick Thompson?: 02:30 PM23rd Sept '26 - ‘A Year on the Fosse’ at Galanos HouseHost: Rick ThompsonInfo: Enjoy an illustrated journey along the 230 miles of the Fosse Way that spears through the heart of England from Lincolnshire to Devon. It was paved by the Romans shortly after their mass invasion of England in AD 43 to secure southern England from incursions by the Celtic Britons and Welsh. Where the Romans built forts at key crossing points, towns and great cities grew up over the centuries, and there were countless battles along its length that changed English history. The quarries that provided limestone for the Fosse Way were developed later to provide the materials for urban Britain, and many of the flooded pits are now nature reserves. The book describes the wildlife to be found on these reserves as the seasons change, with reflections on the biodiversity crisis and the local impacts of climate change, and the successful efforts of thousands of volunteers bringing back species that became extinct because of human activity. Rick is a former BBC journalist and lifelong birdwatcher - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/southam/southam-book-festival-2026/100001998551494319 - **Event Categories**: art, contests, literary-art, festivals, nonprofit, exhibitions, theatre, entertainment, charities, spoken-word - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 1 - **Event Highlights**: - Age Limit: All Ages - Doors Open At: 11:00 AM - Duration: 5 hours - Location: The Graham Adams Centre - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: Southam - **state**: EN - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: The Graham Adams Centre - **lat**: 52.2548956 - **long**: -1.3912001 - **full address**: The Graham Adams Centre, Saint James Road, Southam, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Southam Book Festival 2026 - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/ac7ccd4d163ad597372a656d30d34c416954d784d50095dc0f5d2551ce38785c-rimg-w1117-h393-dcf8f8f8-gmir.jpg?v=1787403647 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Southam Book Festival 2026 being held? - **A:** Southam Book Festival 2026 takes place on Sun, 11 Oct, 2026 at 11:00 am to Sun, 11 Oct, 2026 at 04:00 pm at The Graham Adams Centre, Saint James Road, Southam, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing Southam Book Festival 2026? - **A:** Southam Book Festival 2026 is organized by Southam Book Festival. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Southam Book Festival 2026 is ideal for art lovers, trade professionals, collectors, and exhibition enthusiasts exploring the latest in their field. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Southam, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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