Steinbeck Festival exciting events to light up Limavady this February

Limavady’s annual Steinbeck Festival returns in 2025 with an impressive lineup of cultural events, marking the area’s significant connection to renowned author John Steinbeck.

Now in its seventh year, the festival will run throughout February, offering the local community a rich mix of music, photography, poetry, theatre, and storytelling.

Dougie Bartlett, founder and organiser of the John Steinbeck Festival, voiced his enthusiasm for the vibrant programme planned for Limavady audiences:

“Run by a small group of local enthusiasts, the not-for-profit Festival aims to bring the Arts to all tastes and all ages in the community catering for everyone from 4 years old upwards.

“It appeals to the general public and those with special interests in music, photography, poetry, history, the Arts, and of course, John Steinbeck, in particular.”

The festival celebrates John Steinbeck, the Nobel prize winning author of notable works ‘Of Mice and Men’, ‘Grapes of Wrath’ and ‘East of Eden’, whose maternal grandfather Samuel Hamilton, was born in Ballykelly in 1830.

Dougie shared some of the exciting highlights which are in store in this year’s Festival programme:

“Over the years it has attracted big name celebrities and this year it features Fergal Keane in conversation with Mark Carruthers on February 7.

“Renowned photographer James Hughes will open our ‘Dust Bowl’ Photography Exhibition in the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre with an illustrated talk on February 8.”

“Actress Joyce Greenaway brings her highly acclaimed one-woman show, ‘Whiskey Wars’, to the Festival on February 14.

“We also welcome the gifted young blues artist Muireann Bradley on February 15.

“Fans of the very popular ‘Blue Lights’ series will get a chance to engage with creators of the series, Declan Lawn and Louise Gallagher, at the Festival on February 20.”

Festival-goers can enjoy an evening of lively entertainment with the Limavady Big Band on Saturday, February 8, at the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, featuring American classics and toe-tapping floorfillers!

An event not to be missed is ‘Steinbeck Saturday’ on February 15, featuring talks on Steinbeck’s books, by Dr Linda Mc Keown and Dr Andrew Pickering with a lunch in and tour of the uniquely preserved 1840s Limavady Workhouse.

Steinbeck Saturday also offers a guided minibus tour exploring local Steinbeck landmarks and highlighting the author’s 1952 visit to the Roe Valley, as captured in his renowned article “I Go Back to Ireland.”

The Steinbeck Festival is now a fixture in the annual Limavady events calendar but Dougie Bartlett, founder and one of the main organisers of the festival reminisced about its humble beginnings:

“It grew out of a Friday evening event in the cellar of the Alexander Arms Hotel in 2019 to celebrate the connection which John Steinbeck, the Nobel Prize winning American author, has with the local area.

“There were a couple of readings on the night, along with local musicians, Ashleen Allen, Shane McAteer, and Allan Nicholl playing the blues, in addition to a very well-received performance by Boyd Gray as John Steinbeck himself.”

Despite its growth, the festival has retained its grassroots and includes home participation via local poetry evenings and Limavady schools’ events as Dougie explained further:

“This year, we have a story-telling event for 4 - 6 years olds, a schools’ programme for GCSE pupils, a whiskey tasting of ‘Limavady 1750’, as well as poetry performances by local poets.

“In addition, we are hosting a cross-community poetry evening of English, Irish and Ulster Scots poetry with invited guests from The Cathedral Quarter Festival, Letterkenny and the Frances Browne Festival, Stranorlar on February 28.”

The Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, which hosts many of the events, will exhibit entries from the Steinbeck Dustbowl Photography Competition from February 3 to March 22.

Events can be booked online Steinbeck Festival by Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre | Eventbrite or through the Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre Box Office on 02877760650 and information@rvacc.co.uk.