The festival saw ticket sales approaching 60,000 and sell-outs in 66 events during the ten day festival. The success confirms the festival's place as one of of the leading literary events in the country. Highlights Highlights over the ten-day Festival - which involved some 400 leading authors - included talks from renowned writers such as Irvine Welsh, Ruth Rendell, Hanif Kureishi, Louis de Bernieres, James Kelman, Fay Weldon and Roddy Doyle. This year's theme 'the state of the nation' also provided a wonderful opportunity to welcome revealing tales from a host of politicians, journalists and public servants including Greg Dyke, Jon Snow, William Hague, Neil Kinnock, Stella Rimington and a rather controversial last minute visit from Cherie Booth. The Festival also offered a wonderful collection of eminent visitors from the stage and screen including Joanna Lumley, director Anthony Minghella and Sheila Hancock, Jamie Oliver, Michael Palin, Rob Brydon, Dom Joly and a rare public appearance by popular artist Jack Vettriano. Popular events With over 300 events on offer in total the festival really took over the town in a big way. There were a number of free, informal events in the festival tent; street performance around town, poetry every single day and special Book It events for children. There were also writing workshops for adults plus a collection of specially-commissioned theatre and visual arts projects. Christopher Cook, the Festival Director said:
"The biggest thank you must be to our audiences: enthusiastic, discriminating, passionate about books and writing and eager to argue about the State of the Nation. They're the men, women and children who make Cheltenham, Cheltenham." The diversity of the festival programme in 2004 attracted record-breaking audiences with many already talking about next year. The Main Festival in 2005 is scheduled for 7-16 October and if it's anything like this year's then it'll undoubtedly be a cracking ten days!
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The 55th Cheltenham Festival of Literature has proved a tremendous success, smashing previous box office records in the process...
