Line-up for Machynlleth Literary Festival in Powys revealed

From Friday, March 31, to Sunday, April 2, Machynlleth’s literary festival will come to life once again with an ensemble of poets, authors and artists descending upon the market town.

The bilingual festival named ‘Amdani, Fachynlleth’, which translates to ‘Let’s Go Machynlleth’, was instigated by Charles Dark of the Wynstay Hotel in 2020.

Inspired by the life of travel writer Jan Morris and her description of Machynlleth, which she called “ the place where journeys meet, a junction of powers and influences”.

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Readers and writers from across Wales will be gathering for a series of talks and seminars populated by poets, historians, philosophers and linguists, book designers and illustrators.

Opening the festival on March 31 will be art historian Peter Lord and historian of music Rhian Davies, presenting ‘The Art of Music: Branding the Welsh Nation’, with a lavishly illustrated talk in the company of the book’s designer Isobel Gillan and harpist Rhian Bebb.

That evening Swper Y Beirdd / Poetry for Supper, brings together a powerful host of poets, such as Grug Muse, Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch, Judith Musker Turner, Sam Robinson, Cyril Jones, Morgan Owen, Mari Ellis Dunning with music by Gwilym Morus Baird.

The second day of the festival will begin with a ‘Writer’s Breakfast Buffet Flash Fiction Workshop’, as well as two food themed presentations from Maggie Ogunbanwo and Carwyn Graves.

Meanwhile, Jan Brown, author of People Like Us, based on her great grandmother who became cook/housekeeper at Gregynog Hall in the late 1800s, will be in conversation with Lindy Newns.

Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones will chair a conversation between Simon Brooks, specialist in the history of ideas in Welsh-language culture and political philosopher, Huw L Williams.

On April 2, Julie Brominicks and Tom Bullough swap travel notes on their respective hikes around Wales in their recent books, as well as talks from Guy Shrubsole, Jasmine Donahaye, Mererid Puw Davies and Mike Parker.

As the weekend draws to a close, Barbara’s Border Crossings, hosted by Janice Connolly, provides a fun finale.

Tickets are £5 per person, per event and can be purchased via Eventbrite, or they can be bought directly from Pen’rallt, Senedd-dy and Literary Cat Bookshops in Machynlleth.