THE fourth annual Isle of Wight Story Festival, aimed at children and young people and celebrating stories of all types, starts tomorrow (Thursday) and will be drawing crowds to Quay Arts in Newport.
Among the guests will be former CBeebies presenter, Cerrie Burnell.
For her, the event is a chance to increase the visibility of people with disabilities.
The author, who will be talking about Wilder Than Midnight, has herself broken down barriers, challenged stereotypes and overcome discrimination.
There will be communication support at Cerrie's talk.
Fellow writer, Julia Tuffs, author of about Hexed and Twice Hexed, is Thursday's headliner.
The books feature a girl called Jessie, whose strange powers start to manifest during crippling period pains.
On Saturday, in a sold-out event, Horrible Histories and Ghosts star Simon Farnaby, author of The Wizard in My Shed and The Warrior in my Wardrobe, is to headline.
From the Isle of Wight, award-winning Podkin One Ear and Carnival of the Lost author and The Treekeepers author, Kieran Larwood, will talk on Friday.
Cowes's Geoff Banks will bring historical knowledge to Thursday's line-up, and will talk about Journey to the Unknown.
This year’s event will see the addition of live music for the first time, with local singer/songwriter Doug Alldred and former 80s popstar Simon Whitworth leading the line-up.
All live music will be free to watch, in the Quay Arts cafe.
The Isle of Wight Story Festival hopes to give the experience of live music to young people who may not usually be able to access live gigs.
Also on Saturday, author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson, and writer of the bestseller, Frostheart, Jamie Littler, will also appear.
There will also be theatre from Apollo Youth Theatre and Horse Box Theatre Company, a film make-up workshop, song-writing instruction, model-making and more.
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