‘We’re about being inclusive of everybody’: The literary festival taking over Aberford this weekend and beyond

When people think of literary festivals, grand affairs like Hay-on-Wye or Ilkley usually come to mind; prestigious, quiet events where audiences listen to international authors pitch their latest hardbacks.

But this weekend (June 19 to 21), the village of Aberford is set to prove that a genuine cultural movement doesn’t require a massive publishing house.

It just requires a community.

Returning for its biggest year yet, the Aberford Literature Festival hits the ground running this weekend with a unique core philosophy: it is a celebration about the act of writing just as much as it is about reading.

"We're not trying to be an Ilkley or a Hay-on-Wye," says festival organiser Chris Berry. "I wanted a community-based festival that is about people writing. We have guest speakers, but we also have workshops to assist people in independent publishing, which is becoming a big thing these days."

The journey to this weekend's blockbuster event began four and a half years ago with a radically simple premise: "just people who enjoyed writing, whether they were published or unpublished," Chris recalls.

What started as a tiny circle of "three of us" meeting in the local pub has since evolved into a thriving grassroots movement; today, the Aberford Authors group regularly packs out The Arabian Horse, creating what Chris describes as "just a great thing."

The real spark for launching a full-scale festival came two years later, when Chris was invited into Aberford Primary School to speak on World Book Day.

It proved to be the ultimate turning point for the community.

"That was the catalyst for me to actually get on with launching the festival, because we got the children involved," Chris explains, and when the school leadership asked if they could set up a junior branch, his response was immediate: "Of course we can."

Operating as an after-school club, the group handed every child a hardback exercise book to unleash their imagination, drawing an incredible 40 young participants each year and, using festival funding, those short stories were compiled and printed into a professional anthology.

"They all become published authors from five years old to 11 years old," Chris says proudly. "They all receive this copy of this beautiful published book, a festival t-shirt, and a pen."

The festival’s mission to build a thriving writing community is already expanding far beyond Aberford: this year, Chris successfully rolled out his three-week workshop framework to adult library sessions in Wetherby and Garforth, helping 30 first-time writers publish their own anthology.

Close ties with Seacroft's Chapel FM have also brought local voices to the airwaves, with plans to scale the school workshops even further next year. "We're actually going to roll that out next year already to even more schools," Chris reveals. "We're going to our neighbouring villages of Micklefield and Saxton as well."

From page to airwaves: A launchpad for writers

Crucially, Aberford has become an accessible launchpad for every storytelling medium - whether it is a psychological thriller or a script for the stage.

The debut of the Aberford Authors Drama Collective this year proves the community is a fertile testing ground for screenwriters and playwrights, with members collaboratively penning two original radio dramas. "It was done as a group conglomerate," Chris explains. "The plays are very much the thoughts of our whole group."

For anyone hesitant to pick up a pen or take that first step, the festival's weekend philosophy remains entirely open. "If you want to be inspired and you want to enjoy, it's going to be a really fun time," Chris says.

"We're just about being inclusive of everybody. It really doesn't matter who you are or where you are from."

For a festival run out of a village hall, this weekend’s star power is a massive achievement, with hundreds of tickets sold and limited capacity for other events.

Opening Friday is legendary local playwright John Godber MBE (’Bouncers,’ ‘Up 'n' Under’), whose sold-out headline slot is paired with the Authors Drama Collective.

Saturday morning brings inspiration from Leeds’ own BAFTA-winning CBeebies presenter George Webster, followed by a Brontë history session, complete with a free glass of prosecco (the only event with a bit of bubbly, Chris is keen to point out), and a poetry showcase featuring Sheffield's Susanna Evans.

Authors Sunday features a powerhouse panel of novelists, including six-figure self-publishing crime thriller successes Maria Franklin, but the weekend’s most extraordinary milestone, however, belongs to 89-year-old author Robin Squire.

Travelling from Cambridge, Squire will launch the official festival re-release of his 1968 beat-band novel, Square One, which has been out of print since its original run. Classic sci-fi fans will also recognise Squire as an original, plastic-covered Auton monster from 1970s Doctor Who.

The festivities wrap up on Sunday evening with the chaotic 'ALF Awards' presentation at The Arabian Horse pub.

With major sessions completely sold out, Aberford's unique celebration is definitive proof that this community is successfully rewriting the local cultural landscape for good.

Tickets for the remaining events at the Aberford Literature Festival are running low, so visit Eventbrite now to avoid missing out. You can also find out more about the regular gatherings held by Aberford Authors by visiting their Facebook page, or by joining them for their meetings at The Arabian Horse pub.

The youth group meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 6pm to 7pm, while adults meet on the second and fourth Tuesday from 7pm to 8:30pm.