Tuesday 8 October 2013 It was a laugh a minute as the programme for young people at Ilkley Literature Festival got underway ahead of the main Children’s Weekend on 12 and 13 October. Stand-up comedy was on the menu at the Children’s Tea Party in the King’s Hall, run in partnership with The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL), which is also the main sponsor of the Children’s Festival. 80 children, dressed as their favourite book character, brought their mums, dads and grandparents along for a party tea followed by James Campbell’s stand-up routine. A storyteller turned comic, James knows how to tickle the funny bone of primary age children and soon had them rolling in the aisles and honing their heckling technique. Lulu Howson, year 7 pupil at GSAL, who came as Sherlock Holmes, said: “It was brilliant – from when he came in and asked who left the cow in reception he got us to join in and had an answer for everything we shouted back at him.” Joking apart, the Children’s Festival is now a major part of the Ilkley Literature Festival, offering author sessions, interactive workshops, writing competitions, poetry and performances at the Children’s Weekend and throughout the festival fortnight. The Children’s Weekend is coming up this weekend on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 October, with tickets still available for a number of the events including author sessions with Cathy Cassidy, Lou Kuenzler and Chris Mould. Rachel Feldberg, director of Ilkley Literature Festival, said: “The Children’s Festival has been a key part of the Festival since 2003 and helps to bring books alive for young people and enthuse them about reading. Our partnership with The Grammar School at Leeds is now in its second year and has helped us to develop an exciting programme of events which are proving extremely popular with schools and families.” “The children’s tea party has been brilliant fun and a great taste of more to come at the Children’s Weekend.” To buy tickets, call the Box Office on 01943 816714, book online or purchase on the door subject to availability. General News
