Change of format sees John O’Groats Book Festival run from March to October
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The 2022 John O’Groats Book Festival will see a change of format with a programme that runs from March through to October.
Now in its fourth year, the festival will feature writer events, music, storytelling, workshops and school visits as well as the John O’Groats Story Walk.
Organiser Ian Leith says he is looking forward to the return of in-person activities after choosing to go online last year because of Covid-19.
He hopes the new approach will attract a wider audience in what is officially Scotland’s Year of Stories. Lyth Arts Centre will be used as well as venues in John O'Groats itself.
"The decision to run the festival over the coming months was to allow us to include more events, building to a final festival weekend in October," Mr Leith explained. "This way we can hopefully appeal to a wider audience both local and visitors.
"Last year we went digital and we learned that it is a possible format for some events. With this in mind, we hope to include some digital events throughout the programme – but getting back to at least a partial physical festival is where we want to be.
"The programme as it exists is only what has been confirmed so far, with more to be announced."
Writers taking part include James Miller, Barbara Henderson, Kenneth Steven and Donald MacDonald, along with musician James Ross and storytellers Tom Muir and Bob Pegg.
Mr Leith added: "The John O’Groats Story Walk will take people from John O’Groats along the new path to the mill. On the way there and back, those attending will be treated to some local folklore and history of the area.
"The aim is to try and run a few walks over the coming months. Numbers, by necessity, will be limited on each walk – details of how to book will follow soon."
The festival begins on March 13 at the Seaview Hotel (2.30pm) with Donald MacDonald talking about his book Life’s Too Short for Ironing Shirts – a set of tales based on many of his experiences and encounters over the years.
Donald, of Forss, raised £10,000 for Ward 5A at Raigmore Hospital through sales of the book along with donations from well-wishers. He spent months on the ward after being diagnosed with leukaemia.
At Lyth on April 22, Kenneth Steven will present Neil M Gunn in Words (7.30pm) followed by Landscape to Light with James Ross (8pm), taking inspiration from Neil Gunn’s description of landscape in his collection of essays of the same title.
It is a piece for piano and string quartet with photographer/filmmaker Minttu Maari Mantynen and bookings can be made at lytharts.org.uk
May 7 sees the launch of a John O’Groats book for young people featuring Finn and Friends at the Seaview Hotel (2.30pm), with stories and poems by Gail Brown, Charlotte Platt, Andrea Wotherspoon and Ian Leith.
The John O’Groats Story Walk will take place on May 8 (11am and 2pm).
James Miller, originally from Keiss and now based in Inverness, will be at the Corporate Lodge, Together Travel, John O’Groats, on June 18 (2.30pm) to discuss his latest book The Dunbars of Ackergill and Hempriggs – the story of a Caithness family based on the Dunbar family papers.
Bookings for this event can be made through the Lyth Arts Centre website.
The Corporate Lodge at Together Travel will also be the setting on July 17 (2.30pm) for storytellers Tom Muir and Bob Pegg and their Tales of the Pentland Firth and Beyond – a collection of stories, folklore and legends.
An open mic event with local writers is planned at John O'Groats harbour on August 20 (2.30pm). From October 28-30 a book festival weekend will feature Margaret Bennett and Barbara Henderson, with others to be confirmed.
Details are on the John O’Groats Book Festival Facebook page.
