Clifton literary festival returning for fourth year

Authors of international best sellers, world renowned photographers, journalists and performers will be coming together for 2023 year’s Clifton Litfest.

Venues Clifton Library, Christ Church, and Pavey House will be hosting a diverse range of speakers from Friday to Sunday,

The festival will kick off with Professor Alice Roberts, winner of the inaugural Royal David Attenborough Award who has covered an underground history of Britain through burials.

The full weekend programme can be found here, with selected highlights featured below.

Author talks

• Nathan Filer author of international bestseller of The Shock of the Fall, which has been translated into thirty languages. Saturday 10.30am-11.30am, The Meeting Room, Clifton Library
• Moses Mackenzie who at age 21 wrote his award winning debut novel, An Olive Grove in Ends, which is now being turned into a TV series, Sunday 11.30am-12.30pm, Clifton Library
• Sian Norris a freelance journalist and writer specialising in human rights who is currently exploring how the backlash against women’s rights is fuelled by far-right conspiracy and funding, Saturday 10am-11am, Clifton Library

Doug Allan, an award-winning camera man  – photo: Clifton Litfest

Talks from wildlife photographers and videographers

• Doug Allan, an eight time Emmy and five time BAFTA award winner for his work filming whales in Antarctica, California, and under the Arctic pack ice, Saturday 10.30am-11.30am, Christ Church
• David Parker remembering Johnny Kingdom’s wildlife film making, Saturday 12pm-1pm, the Crypt, Christ Church
• Nadeem Perera, a wildlife TV presenter and activist who co-founded Flock Together, a birdwatching collective for people of colour to get out into nature whilst supporting each other, Saturday 3pm-4pm, the Crypt, Christ Church 

Discussion Panels

• Jen Reid tells her story of her prominent role in the Black Lives Matter protests, Saturday 12pm- 1pm, Clifton Library
• Polly Toynbee a political and social commentator for The Guardian, Saturday 12pm-10pm, Christ Church
• Chris Mullin the former Labour minister gives his take on the twelve turbulent years since he left parliament, Sunday 10am-11am, Clifton Library

Jen Reid, an activist who took part in the toppling of the Colston Statue – photo: Clifton Litfest

Poetry Readings

• Severn Bridge, a meeting of four major poets Caleb Parkin, Kat Lyons, Abeer Ameer and Jonathan Edwards, Sunday 2.30pm-4.15pm, Clifton Library

Activities

• Clare Reddaway leads a popular Clifton Story walk where she leads walkers on a stroll throughout Clifton

Music

• Sandie Middleton and Friends multimedia exploration of our elemental relationship with the land and the sea, Saturday 6pm-7pm, Christ Church
• The Harrisons Trio, a band which focuses on country, blues, rock ’n’ roll, Saturday 7.30pm-9.30pm, Clifton Library

Tickets are available to purchase here

Main photo: Clifton Litfest

Read next:

• Author Emily Koch on Bristol’s burgeoning literary scene
• Heron Books opens to become Bristol’s smallest bookshop
• Bristol’s wildlife photography gallery opens submissions for it’s third year

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