WITH the country’s first maritime literary festival less than a month away, a key organiser has spoken about putting together a ‘cultural event of national standard’.

The Leviathan Literary Festival, to be held on March 12 and 13 in venues around Weymouth harbour, was the brain-child of Councillor James Farquharson.

Together with Sir Fabian Malbon and Anne Newton, Cllr Farquharson launched the festival, the only literary festival devoted to maritime literature, in November after months of planning.

Now, with tickets going on sale, the councillor for Preston spoke about how far the project had come since he first put the idea out online.

He said: “I was bought up in Weymouth sailing, kayaking and reading books. I got the feeling that Weymouth doesn’t really have the full spectrum of events.

“The objective is to create a cultural event of a national standard here in Weymouth.”

The full line up has now been released featuring a full range of names from national television broadcasters Brian Lavery and Philip Hoare to local Jurassic Coast historian Philip Browne.

Philip Browne’s book The Unfortunate Captain Peirce and the Wreck of the Halsewell, a book about the captain of a ship sunk off the Dorset coast, was published last year to critical acclaim.

Writers will be giving talks on an array of true stories from the history of the ocean and fictional ones from their books.

Creative writing workshops are even on offer, for festival goers to create their own sea-themed fiction.

Cllr Farquharson said: “We wanted it to be a cultural festival, not an academic convention.

“Since November, we have got Brian Lavery and Giles Milton on board – two really big names – and launched the children’s festival for kids from primary school age, with the Fisherman’s Daughter.”

He added: “I think that it is the sort of event that people who live in Weymouth should be proud of.

“If it is successful this year, we will build on it.”

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