Excitement is building for Southport’s free family festival Books Alive! as locations for The Jolly Postman Book Trail are revealed and a packed programme of family events at The Atkinson is now available to book ahead of Books Alive! taking over the town from 24th to 31st October.
The Jolly Postman Book Trail
Inspired by Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s much-loved children’s classic The Jolly Postman, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, the Book Trail will take families on an adventure across Southport town centre, with installations at Town Hall Gardens, Wayfarers Arcade, Mermaid Gardens, Lord Street, Southport Market, Tulketh Street and Waterstones on Chapel Street.
Make CIC have been commissioned to work with artists from across the Liverpool City Region to create nine installations, transforming sites across Southport with imaginative scenes inspired by The Jolly Postman and the classic fairy tales featured within the story, including Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks.
Gaze into Cinderella’s castle through a magical moving papercut, look up at Jack’s beanstalk and feel tiny next to the Giant’s larger-than-life objects. Then join Goldilocks around the table for a children’s tea party and take a selfie with the other guests.
With plenty more scenes to discover, families will be able to pick up a specially designed trail map from The Atkinson or download a copy from VisitSouthport.com and visit the installations between 10am and 4pm every day from 24th to 31st October.
Festival of Stories programme now live
The Festival of Stories programme is also now live, with dozens of free events taking place at The Atkinson and Southport Library on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th October.
In partnership with Children’s Books North Network, Festival of Stories brings together celebrated children’s authors and illustrators for two days of interactive storytelling, creativity and family-friendly experiences, hosted by CBeebies star and author Katy Ashworth.
The programme is organised around three themes: Be Inspired, Be Creative and Be Part of It.
Families can meet Fantastically Great Women author-illustrator Kate Pankhurst, draw along with Lydia Monks, bestselling illustrator of What the Ladybird Heard, and sit back and enjoy Altru Drama’s unique performance of Hansel & Gretel, with many more events taking place across the two-day programme. The full line-up of authors/illustrators, programmed by Children’s Books North Network, is: Lydia Monks, Solomey Doku, Natalie Denny, Metaphrog, Dapo Adeola, Kate Pankhurst, Ruth Awolola, Ashley Thorpe, Gabrielle Kent and Joseph Coelho.
There will also be free craft workshops in The Atkinson’s Art Gallery, while the Foyer will host a special installation Noisy Noise Noise, a playful sound library featuring more than 90 books that trigger weird, wonderful and occasionally rude noises, commissioned by The Cultural Hub and produced by Activate Performing Arts, producers of Inside Out Dorset.
All Festival of Stories events are free to attend, but advance booking is required due to limited availability. Free tickets can be booked at VisitSouthport.com or through The Atkinson Box Office.
Fringe Festival: Southport businesses invited to be part of the story
Businesses across Southport are being encouraged to get involved in the Books Alive! Fringe Festival by creating their own book-inspired activities, experiences, displays and special offers for families, helping to extend the festival atmosphere throughout the town.
Want to be part of the story and help encourage visitors to explore more of Southport? Guidelines on how local businesses can get involved in the Fringe Festival are available at VisitSouthport.com.
Plan your visit
Books Alive! takes place across Southport this Half Term from 24th to 31st October.
Families can discover the full Books Alive! programme, book free Festival of Stories tickets and find out more about The Jolly Postman Book Trail at: