Big Word Weekend – Brand new Flintshire festival celebrating written and spoken word gets off to an “amazing start”

A brand new festival celebrating the written and spoken word took place over the weekend in Mynydd Isa where people enjoyed taking part in various engaging and informative events.

The Big Word Weekend kicked off on Friday, 12 November at Caffi Isa with a community choir singing joyous songs under decorative lights and an informal discussion on horror fiction.

Local author Jess Doyle – whose work has been published in numerous magazines, journals, and anthologies – organised the entire weekend for all to enjoy.

Shortly after leading the horror discussion, she said: “We had a lovely choir here to start the weekend off as well as a nice, intimate discussion with a small group on all things horror.

“As The Big Word Weekend was created to bring our community together and celebrate the many talents we all have, it’s incredible to know that people are enjoying themselves.

“I myself was able to read an excerpt from my new book – M.I.C.H.A.E.L. – showcasing my passion for writing. So, as things go, this was an amazing start to say the least!”

On Saturday, 13 November, a children’s book craft session was held followed by an open mic event that allowed multiple authors, poets, comedians and singers to share their passions.

Award-winning short story writer Gaynor Jones then led an informative workshop on the art of flash fiction while comedian Daniel Hippolyte took centre stage discussing comedy writing.

Then, on Sunday, 14 November, legendary Merseyside songwriter Ian Prowse examined how to write songs of conviction while esteemed historian Dr. Miranda Kaufmann discussed her Wolfson History Prize and Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize shortlisted book Black Tudors: The Untold Story.

To end things off, Jess led yet another informal discussion but on the topic of comics instead.

Afterwards, she said: “Considering this was the first time we’ve ever tried doing something of this nature, it’s relieving to know how well it’s gone down.

“We’ve had comedy nights, live music, and, over lockdown, I even started a spoken word group. But this was a much larger-scale project. We’ve had a lot of variation, allowing us to gauge what the villagers are really interested in. Now we can look to move forward with our arts programme.”

“We’re very excited about the future of the café in terms of arts and culture. We’ll be able to do so much more, bringing new experiences and opportunities to everyone here in Mynydd Isa.”

For more information on the event, visit the Caffi Isa Official Facebook Group.