Top line-up for Moray book festival

Date Added - 04/07/12

Scotland’s national poet – or makar – will be part of a stellar cast at this year’s Spirit of Moray book festival.

Liz Lochhead will join other leading national authors including crime writer Stuart MacBride, Andrew Greig and Andy Wightman.

They will be joined during the festival, which runs from September 18 to 22, by Jane Yeadon, Alastair Scott, Jim Miller, Bruce Bishop, Roger Hutchinson, Gary Sutherland and Fraser Hunter of the National Museums of Scotland.

Moray Council’s principal librarian, Sheila Campbell, said the programme represented an excellent variety of national and local themes and reflected the cultural strengths of Scotland and Moray.

“We see the Spirit of Moray book festival as an event where the people of Moray and visitors can have an enjoyable, stimulating and unforgettable experience,” she said.

“Not only have we secured the best of writers, we have also attracted Scottish Opera to hold workshops.”

The festival will be launched with a whisky event sponsored by Gordon and MacPhail and featuring expert Andy Simpson who will speak on whisky as an investment.

Festival programmes will be available from all libraries and Yeadon’s bookshop in Elgin, with bookings being taken from August 20. All events are free and there is also a programme of family events and children’s authors.