Spring 2024 Callington Book Fair

The Spring Callington 2024 Book Fair will be a rather special one in 2024 being the 20th anniversary of the event. With a good turn out

of book dealers and writers. I hope to have my 4th Rob Nicolson book out by then ‘Roundabout’. More details will follow.

Anniversary Landmark

Callington Book Fair

Dedicated to the memory of Jill Thompson

2024 will mark the 20^th anniversary of the Callington Book Fair please join us for this special event on Saturday 18 May. The first fair organised by Mike Joll and Janet Slack took place in August 2004 at the Sports and Social club Stoke Climsland. In December the same year a second fair took place this time at the Old School Stoke Climsland where it would remain until the Fair moved to Callington. These early events were supported by Book Dealers Colin Baker and Jill Thompson who would remain steadfast supporters of the event for many years. It was with great sadness that last year 2023 we learnt of the passing of Jill Thompson.

The fair moved to the Callington Town Hall in 2006 the first event there taking place in May. Also Mike Joll’s wife Ada took over the kitchen and then the fair was able to offer refreshments a tradition that has been maintained.

Some renowned writers have made appearances at the fair over the years. E. V. Thompson the historical novelist supported the fair for many years until he passed away in 2012, others writers of fiction and non-fiction that have supported the fair included Lillian Harry, Simon Hall, Veronica Henry, Iain Ballantyne, Ruth Saberton, and Angus Mansfield.

In 2014 Jim Cross book dealer and his wife Claire took over the reins running the fair for two years.

Mark Simmons author and book dealer and his wife Margaret took over in 2016 and have run the fair ever since, Margaret in the kitchen serving drinks and her famed cakes. There was a break of only one fair during the Covid Endemic in 2020 although it had been secluded it was cancelled.