Stony Words 2025

In 2025, StonyWords celebrates its 21st birthday. Started originally by Ken Daniels, it has been co-curated since 2013 by Rob and Liz Gifford. It’s a great community festival bringing together organisations and individuals across the town to lighten up the dark days of late January.

StonyWords 2025 currently has 35 events planned put on by 15 organisations across 7 different venues. It all happens between Friday January 17th and Sunday February 2nd.

During the fortnight you can learn about the secret intelligence network of Jacobean England. You can walk in the gardens of Versailles with Louise XIV. You can help solve the mystery of “Edwin Drood”, the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens. You can hear about the survivors of the English Civil War and their petitions for financial support. You can learn about the interests of Casanova – which ran far beyond love of young women. You can travel to the Grand Canyon and beyond. And you can find out the story of a First World War cleric who was both poet and padre.

And if you’re young, there are two sessions of Story Time in the Library, and two concerts for children – one in the Library on Saturday January 25th, the other in St Mary and St Giles Church on Sunday February 2nd.

So, there really is something for everyone – visiting authors, drama, music, and food courtesy of the Alliance Française and the history of La Galette des Rois.

Full details of all events can be found on the StonyWords website: https://www.stonywords.org.uk. There will also be printed brochures and posters around the town. Some of the events are ticketed; some are free entry with donations welcome. How you get a ticket will also be on the website.

StonyWords 2025 – something to look forward to!

Rob and Liz Gifford