Port Eliot Festival: Difference between revisions
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The Port Eliot |
The '''Port Eliot Lit Fest''' is an annual celebration of all things literary taking place at [[Port Eliot]] in [[Cornwall]], in the [[United Kingdom]]. It was founded by the late [[Jago Eliot]]. Guests who have attended the festival in past years are [[Hanif Kureishi]], [[Hari Kunzru]] and [[Louis de Bernieres]]. |
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== History == |
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After hosting the legendary [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_fayre/ Elephant Fayre] in the 1980s, Lord St Germans began a new festival at Port Eliot in 2003, the Port Eliot Lit Fest, founded by Peregrine St Germans and his wife Catherine, Rick Worthy, actor and musician (one of the original organisers of the Elephant Fayre), and Simon Prosser (long-time friend of Lady St Germans and director of publisher Hamish Hamilton). The founders believed there was room for a new kind of literary event, with the craic of a music festival. Authors were discouraged from merely reading aloud from their latest books, and taking questions from the floor. Instead, they were asked to "do something different with words." |
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In the first year, although the festival had 17 paying punters and three times as many performers, artists and crew, it was a magical weekend of words and music, in the grounds of one of the most beautiful stately homes in England. The festival was born and word spread among young writers that at last here was a festival at which they could do what they wanted. |
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The following year, 1,000 people attended. Part of the festival's success was that many of the Elephant Fayre original site crew were involved, including Viva Hammell, Rick Worthy and Miki Sprosen, crew who knew how to put together a festival site. Catherine St Germans and Simon Prosser drew some of the brightest names in publishing, music and the visual arts and encouraged them to take risks with their performances. Novelist James Flint came to the first festival, and then joined the team, running the influential and highly acclaimed Film Tent. Other performers appearimng at the festival over the years have included Hanif Kureishi, Hari Kunzru, Ekow Eshun, Richard Benson, David Mitchell, Louis De Bernieres, Barbara Hulanicki, Anna Sui, Anita Pallenberg, Alexander Masters, Immodesty Blaize, Rosie Boycott, M J Hyland, Francis Upritchard, Mike Figgis, Sally Potter, Martin Parr, Colin Wilson, Mick Brown, Simon Jameson, Louis Eliot, Gaz Mayall, Gavin Turk, Deborah Curtis, Maria Alvarez, Alain de Botton and Gavin Pretor Pinney. The festival also developed a reputation for good food with stall-holders from Borough Market attending, and the likes of Moro, Skye Gyngell and Angela Hartnett cooking. |
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The festival is now held annually in July. |
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== The 2009 Festival == |
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After a year off in 2008, as Port Eliot House and Gardens opened to the public for the first time, the festival will return in July 2009 and has dropped the 'Lit' from its name to reflect the diversity of performances and attract wider audience. The 2009 festival will have a bigger focus on live music acts and DJs than previous years, including [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evan_dando Evan Dando], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_and_the_Whale Noah and the Whale], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwyn_Collins Edwyn Collins], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_strange Richard Strange] and Gaz Mayall, and there will also be a collaboration with culture and fishing website [http://www.caughtbytheriver.net/ Caught By The River] (run by Jeff Barrett and Robin Turner from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenly_Recordings Heavenly Recordings]) featuring sets from Romeo from the Magic Numbers, The Loose Salute and Soul Jazz and Heavenly DJs. Headline authors include [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_waters Sarah Waters], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Summerscale Kate Summerscale] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_de_botton Alain de Botton]. Weekend camping and day tickets are on sale now. |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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[http://www.porteliotlitfest.com/ Lit Fest Website] |
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* [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Port-Eliot-Festival-Official/46729379682 Official Port Eliot Festival Facebook fan page] |
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* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2006/jul/29/featuresreviews.guardianreview13 2006 review in The Guardian newspaper] |
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* [http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/07/25/away_with_the_f.html Port Eliot Festival in the Guardian Culture Vulture blog] |
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* [http://www.timeout.com/london/books/features/1805/port_eliot_lit_fest_2006.html Feature in Time Out magazine 2006] |
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Revision as of 14:24, 11 May 2009
The Port Eliot Lit Fest is an annual celebration of all things literary taking place at Port Eliot in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was founded by the late Jago Eliot. Guests who have attended the festival in past years are Hanif Kureishi, Hari Kunzru and Louis de Bernieres.
External links
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