Returning once again, the Balham Literary Festival will run at the Bedford Pub in Balham from the 8th to the 11th June. 

For this year’s festival, the line up is set to include talks from  founder of Wahaca and 2005 MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers, distinguished neurosurgeon Henry Marsh, former ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock, and Mercury-nominated singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams.

The chosen theme for this year’s festival is ‘Happy, Healthy, Home?’, with Balham Literary Festival exploring modern living both at home and abroad, with all events taking place at The Bedford Pub and a pop-up bookshop available throughout the weekend.

Talking about this year’s line up Susie Nicklin, owner of Dulwich Books, said: “We’ll look at mental and physical health, life-enhancing activities like eating, swimming and singing, present events for children and even prescribe books to make you feel better. Enjoy a warm welcome, music and poetry, browse our pop-up bookshop and relax in the cosy, shabby chic atmosphere of The Bedford, a legendary venue and a home from home for all Balhamites.”

As well as focusing on topics such as healthy eating and politics, the festival will also concentrate on The Bedford’s infamous history as the site of a Victorian murder trial with a line up of crime authors including Angela Clarke, Annemarie Neary and Anna Mazzola.

Highlights of the festival will include an event bringing together Howard Cunnell, Jonathan Dean and Ed Docx to discuss fatherhood explored through their fictional and real-life accounts of fathers and sons as well as Sir Jeremy Greenstock discussing  with the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour his incendiary insider’s account of Britain’s role in the Iraq War.

The Balham Literary Festival will run at The Bedford Pub from the 8th to the 11th June. For more information about the programme visit: https://balhamliteraryfestival.co.uk/