A 10-day feast of literature, launched with Christmas lights and offering a library of discussion, humour, history and family events, comes to the county this weekend with the annual Folkestone Book Festival.

The festival kicks off Christmas in Folkestone.

Its first event is the big Christmas lights switch-on on Friday, November 18, complete with Father Christmas, a parade, choirs, bell-ringers and pantomime stars.

The Creative Quarter has teamed up with Folkestone Town Council for the evening, from 4pm, when Santa will lead a parade with choirs, bands, bell-ringers and local schoolchildren from Leas Cliff Hall to the town hall where the Mayor will switch on the Sandgate Road lights, with singing from the Kent Military Community Choir, Shepway Singers and Santa handing out gifts at 4.30pm.

At 5.30pm the lantern procession will reach the Old High Street where award-winning author – and the opening act of this year’s festival, Jonathan Coe – will switch on the quarter’s lights, with carols from community choirs. The quarter’s shops and artists’ studios will have their doors open and visitors can vote for their favourite window display and win £100 of vouchers.

The evening ends with a spectacular firework display at 6.30pm, with the procession leading the crowds down to the Harbour area and The Stade, to watch the finale, with music from the Snowdown Colliery Brass Band.

Shops will be vying to impress passers-by with jaw-dropping festive displays to get your vote until Sunday, November 27. Vote at creativequarterfolkestone.org.uk, and Tweet, Facebook or Instagram a photo using #CQXMAS.

A secret postcard exhibition will also launch at the Lilford Gallery Studio, in the Old High Street on the night. The anonymous works – with one or two famous artists slipped in – will be for sale at £25, with a minimum of £5 going to Folkestone Churches Winter Shelter. There will also be late night shopping, exhibitions and mulled wine.

The entertainment runs from 4pm to 7pm on Friday, November 18. For details go to creativequarterfolkestone.org.uk

DETAILS

Folkestone Book Festival runs from Friday, November 18 to Sunday, November 27.
For more information or to book tickets call 01303 760 750 or visit folkestonebookfest.com
A festival pass, which gives access to all events, costs £100.

See our interview with Victoria in this week's KM What's On.