Appledore Drive-in Book Festival 2020 - Now Over

Welcome to the Appledore Book Festival.

We hope you enjoy watching the video of our 2020 Drive-In Festival.  As the UK’s first ever drive-in book festival it succeeded against all the odds by creating social bubbles and a Covid-safe environment for its festival goers. In return, the Festival was rewarded with six days of fabulous author events, tooting horns, flashing headlights, and (almost!) wall-to-wall sunshine!

Each day hundreds of book-lovers attended the Festival, held at Skern Lodge, Appledore. As they watched and listened from the comfort of their own car, or from their picnic-chairs within their designated socially distanced car space, festival goers either opened their own picnic hampers or had delivered pre-ordered refreshments, delicious meals or snacks.

A special launch evening featuring celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott and live music from Devon band Gypfunk kicked-off the Festival, with a further 24 talks and events, from acclaimed authors, presenters, actors, gardeners, historians, broadcasters, experts, and comedians, taking place over the following five days. Each event had a ten minute Q&A before the audience showed its appreciation by flashing their headlights and tooting their horns. Upon exiting each event, signed books were available to purchase, by contactless payment, from the drive-through Waterstones book stall.

Plans are now underway for our 2021 Festival - 16th to 25th September.  Tickets will go on sale in July and Friends of the Appledore Book Festival will be able to purchase their tickets a week before they go on sale to the general public.  For more information visit our Support the Festival/Friends Membership page.