Thursday evening: Grand Opening and Prize Giving Ceremony for the competition winners. In between, there will be something for everyone - poetry, theatre, author talks, signings, workshops, art, food, literary walks, radio broadcasts, ghost stories, street events, food, a book fair, a book binding display, library events, jewellery, a Scrabble tournament, a Countdown Challenge, a Book Trail and a poll to discover Havant's favourite word!

Sunday night: A fiendishly difficult - but hugely enjoyable - Book Quiz.

In addition to showcasing local and emerging talent, we will be celebrating our connections with PG Wodehouse, Nevil Shute and Keats.

There will also be schools events linking with the National Year of Reading, poetry, prose and children's competitions; several fund raisers are planned, begining with:

a Grand Ceilidh on 26th April

Plum Crazy Read-a-Thon on 14th June, when we will be sponsoring people to read a whole PG Wodehouse book, in 100 word chunks!

Membership application in .pdf format Membership, and regular updates, news and information are well worth the small cost of joining!

1. To establish the town as a centre of literary excellence by attracting high quality speakers, nurturing and showcasing local writing talent and providing new opportunities for local people to experience literature in direct, accessible and dynamic ways.

2. To promote, encourage and develop participation in all aspects of the literary arts in Havant.

3. To promote literacy and a life-long love of reading across all sections of the community, including the very youngest.

4. To create a sense of occasion and identification with the Festival, raising the profile of Havant nationally and stimulating economic opportunities for local businesses.