FAQ
Please find answers to commonly asked questions about the festival below.
Is the festival residential?
No, you will have to arrange your own accommodation.
If you want help finding accommodation please send me an email as soon as possible: info@festivalofbiblicalliterature.co.uk I have been able to access very good hotel accommodation close to the festival site and it is reasonably priced, particularly if you are happy to share a room. If you would like to stay in someone’s home then I may be able to help out there, too.
Are dogs and other pets allowed to come to the festival?
Dogs and other pets are not allowed on site. Guide and service dogs are allowed on site.
Is there parking available on site?
There is a cycle rack and parking for cars at Ealing Quaker Meeting House. There is very good availability for car parking in the roads around the Meeting House.
If you are a disabled driver, please contact me (James) via info@festivalofbiblicalliterature.co.uk I will ensure there is a space available for you.
If possible, please use an environmentally sustainable way of traveling to and from the festival. Ealing has excellent rail and bus links.
Is this a Christian festival?
No. It is a festival that celebrates the Bible as literature. Reading the Bible as literature implies that different people will find different meanings. These meanings may be religious or they may not. There will not be any prayer or preaching at the festival. James Priestman is a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) and most of the speakers have an affiliation to a religious body, but they are not appearing at the festival to preach on behalf of those bodies.
Who is funding the festival?
James Priestman is funding the festival from expected ticket sales. James has not sought and has not received funding from the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) or any other religious or non-religious organisation.
What inspired this festival?
From James Priestman, Festival Director: In 2023, I went to the Hay Festival, the Ledbury Poetry Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, the Chiswick Book Festival and the Cheltenham Book Festival. I enjoyed all of them, but I felt that there was something that none of them were touching. The Bible is the best-selling book in the world – in this country most people have at least some knowledge of its contents. People may be put off from reading the Bible because they associate it with particular religious outlooks. I want to put on a festival that celebrates the Bible as literature and can be enjoyed by everyone, whether they are religious or not.
I still have more questions
Please send an email to info@festivalofbiblicalliterature.co.uk
Is the festival residential?
No, you will have to arrange your own accommodation. Malvern is a lovely place to visit for a few days and there are excellent options for accommodation in the town and the surrounding countryside.
Is there parking available on site?
There is disabled parking at Malvern Quaker Meeting House.
There is very good availability for parking in the roads around the Malvern Quaker Meeting House.
If possible, please use an environmentally sustainable way of traveling to and from the festival. Malvern has excellent rail and bus links.
Are dogs and other pets allowed to come to the festival?
Dogs and other pets are not allowed on site. Guide and service dogs are allowed on site.
What was the inspiration behind the festival?
From James Priestman, Festival Director: In 2023, I went to the Hay Festival, the Ledbury Poetry Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, the Chiswick Book Festival and the Cheltenham Book Festival. I enjoyed all of them, but I thought I could add something that none of them were touching. The Bible is the best-selling book in the world – in this country most people have at least some knowledge of its contents. People may be put off from reading the Bible because they associate it with particular religious outlooks. I wanted to put on a festival that celebrate the Bible as literature and could be enjoyed by everyone, whether they are religious or not.
Is this a Christian festival?
No. It is a festival that celebrates the Bible as literature. Reading the Bible as literature implies that different people will find different meanings. These meanings may be religious or they may not.
Who is funding the festival?
James Priestman is privately funding the festival. He is very grateful for the support he has had from other individuals. James is a Quaker but he has not sought and has not received funding from the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) or any other religious or non-religious organisation.
