Reading Festival
Join us for the first Reading Festival to be held at Dronfield Hall Barn. This has been inspired by the 2026 National Year of Reading campaign, and we want this to be a community celebration of the joys of reading. Our sessions are open to everyone, and we hope to provide thoughtful, educational, and fun experiences. If it goes well, we may make this an annual event.
Friday 25th at 2pm in Dronfield Library is for carers of younger children and early readers. Led by the session is for 90 minutes and will include a craft activity as well as an opportunity to chat as a group about the best books or reading methods as young children develop.
Our only ticketed session (£15 per person) is on Friday 25th in The Gallery of Dronfield hall Barn. Join us as we hear from a panel of authors and reading experts who will consider the power of reading in our society. The broad topic, “Does reading change lives?”, will allow us to range across the subject guided by our event host, and with audience participation.
Refreshments available from 6pm – 7pm in the Coffee Shop.
Book early as numbers are limited to 70.
On Saturday 26th from 10am across the Dronfield Hall Barn site we welcome families to come along for a celebration of story writing and telling, an opportunity to share your favourite book with others, and to dress as a book character.
To get ready for the day,
- Children and youngsters can write or draw a story about their summer holiday and bring it along. If they agree, we will ready it out or look at the pictures together
- Children and adults can come dressed as a book character – from Peter Rabbit and the Gruffalo to Matilda or Harry Potter. Even James Bond qualifies!
- We have a game everyone can play to identify fictional or factual characters from badges worn by our volunteers
The coffee shop will be serving a reading-themed menu, and throughout the day you are welcome to sit and read for pleasure. The coffee shop closes at 4pm.
