Festival delves into secrets and lies
This year’s Winter Weekend explores the theme of secrets and lies — part of Lowdham Festival’s programme of events.
Running from tomorrow to Sunday it begins with Weird Stuff by Roy Bainton, author of the Mammoth Book Of Unexplained Phenomena, in the WI Hall at 2pm.
He will show that mysteries continue to surface, from showers of frogs over Hungary to birds falling to earth in Arkansas, as well as UFOs, mediums, panics, paranoia and a universe proving stranger in fact than people had ever imagined.
The event continues with Searching For Lost Breweries (And The Odd Missing Football Ground) with Chris Arnot at The Old Ship Inn at 7.30pm.
There was a time when Nottingham without Shipstone’s would have been as unthinkable as Leeds without Tetley’s and Manchester without Boddington’s.
Chris reminds the public what they have lost, though recognising the gains won by real ale campaigns and microbreweries, as breweries closed. Wandering round the UK, he also searched for long-forgotten football grounds, and made a startling revelation.
On Saturday Sheelagh Gallagher, from Nottinghamshire Libraries, presents Secrets And Lies In The Novels Of Ian McEwan and Sarah Waters in the village hall at 2pm.
Nottinghamshire writer Alison Moore hit the headlines when her book, The Lighthouse, was shortlisted for the 2012 Booker Prize. Alison will be in conversation with Ross Bradshaw from Five Leaves to talk about her work in the village hall at 3.30pm.
Guardian writer Polly Toynbee will be in the village hall at 6.45pm to present Dogma And Disarray: David Cameron at Half Time.
In conversation with fellow author David Williams, she will look in detail at what has happened to the NHS and the Welfare State.
On Sunday in the village hall at 11am there will be Mysteries, Secrets And Curiosities Of Nottinghamshire by Chris Weir, of Nottinghamshire Archives.
He will talk about obscure parts of local history, including the statue commemorating the invention of the umbrella, the strange Viking Sculpture at Cuckney Church and the origins of the Major Oak’s name.
At 2pm in the village hall Catherine Bailey will present her new book, Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery — the complex story of love, honour and betrayal inside the walls of Belvoir Castle.
She will be in discussion with Professor John Lucas.
The final event is An Evening With Sophie Hannah in the village hall at 7pm. The acclaimed author wrote several collections of poetry before turning to a life of crime.
On Saturday and Sunday, local publishers will exhibit and sell their work in the village hall committee room between 10.30am and 4.30pm.
Co-organiser Janet Streeter, of The Bookcase, Lowdham, said: “We hope you enjoy delving behind the scenes, under the carpets and into the skeleton cupboards with our authors as they expose hidden depths and dark horses.”