Grand opening festival means there's a programme of literary events this month at the all-new Foyles flagship bookstore in London
Foyles (founded in 1903 and recently National Bookseller Of The Year in 2013 and 2012) will tomorrow open the doors to its new flagship bookshop at 107 Charing Cross Road.
Then Hilary Mantel, award-winning author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies , will officially open the new store on Friday 13 June 2014. The formal opening of each new department will then be undertaken by a well-loved author including Malorie Blackman in the Children’s and YA section, and Mark Kermode in the Film and Theatre section.
The Foyles "Grand Opening Festival" will take place in the new bookshop over three weeks until Friday 4 July 2014. There is a packed schedule which you should see at the site , but here are some highlights for SF, fantasy, YA and comics fans:
SATURDAY 14th JUNE 2014
Malorie Blackman opens the new Children’s and YA departments
2pm, Children’s department, Tickets free
Malorie Blackman formally opens the new Foyles Children’s and YA departments and reveals a selection of her top ten Children’s / YA books.
Storytelling Tea Party with Malorie Blackman, Anthony Browne and Michael Rosen, Family event
3pm, The Auditorium at Foyles, Tickets free (including cake and a soft drink)
Foyles plays host to children’s author royalty in an all-star storytelling session with Children’s Laureates past and present, and cake for everyone.
SUNDAY 15th JUNE 2014
Mark Kermode opens the new Film & Drama departments
12pm, Film department, Tickets free
Mark Kermode formally opens the new Foyles Film & Drama departments.
Hatchet Job: Love Movies, Hate Critics with Mark Kermode
1pm, The Auditorium at Foyles, Tickets £5
Film reviewer Mark Kermode discusses his new book
SATURDAY 28th JUNE 2014
Axel Scheffler Book Signing
10am, Children’s Department
To celebrate 15 years of The Gruffalo , bestselling illustrator Axel Scheffler will be signing copies of his children’s books, including Room on the Broom , Tabby McTat and The Gruffalo’s Child .
Bookshelf Birthday Bash: Celebrate 15 years of The Gruffalo , Children’s Event
11am, The Auditorium at Foyles, Tickets Free
A very special trip to the deep, dark woods, as Foyles throws The Gruffalo a birthday party extravaganza!
Author to author: Anthony Horowitz and Meg Rosoff in conversation, Family event
4.30pm, The Auditorium at Foyles, Tickets free
Anthony Horowitz and Meg Rosoff, talk to each other about their writing, films and friendship, as well as treating us to extracts from their latest books.
TUESDAY 1st JULY 2014
Laydeez Do Comics
7pm, The Auditorium at Foyles, Tickets free
Laydeez do Comics organisers from around the globe will contribute to a stimulating and fun evening of ideas and discussion, offering an international and national representation of how women are involved in the comics community.
THURSDAY 3rd JULY 2014
Literary Death Match, as part of Independent Booksellers Week
7.30pm, The Auditorium at Foyles, Tickets £7
Literary Death Match, with Windmill Books, brings together Alexandra Heminsley, Carys Bray, Nick Harkaway, John Boyne and more for another star-studded show.
Full programme and details at the site . The new Foyles bookshop is close to its current location and was formerly home to Central Saint Martins. The hoarding outside the new shop has been featuring comic art .
