TALLISTON HOUSE & GARDENS PRESENTS:
SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2026
We're turning our whole town into a bookshop!
Join us for this extraordinary event!
SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2026
HIGH STREET CLOSED: 08:00-16:00
BOOK FESTIVAL: 12:00-17:00
Celebrating books, reading and our local high street with a new, unique and magical event.
When local author John Tarrow wrote the first novels set in the town, he found Great Dunmow was missing one important retailer: a bookshop. So was born the idea of turning the whole town into a giant book store for a single day.
We're inviting Essex authors, independent bookshops, libraries and schools to be part of this event as we
establish Dunmow as the first Essex Book Town.
PART OF THE
Calling all readers!
SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2026
HIGH STREET CLOSED: 08:00-16:00
BOOK FESTIVAL: 12:00-17:00
Celebrating books, reading and our local high street with a new, unique and magical event.
When local author John Tarrow wrote the first novels set in the town, he found Great Dunmow was missing one important retailer: a bookshop. So was born the idea of turning the whole town into a giant book store for a single day.
We're inviting Essex authors, independent bookshops, libraries and schools to be part of this event as we establish Dunmow as the first Essex Book Town.
BOOK CATEGORIES
Adult Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Children’s Fiction
Romance
Crime
Contemporary Fiction
Fantasy, Science Fiction
Thriller, Suspense & Mystery
Historical
Horror
Non-fiction in all genres
WHO'S INVOLVED?
JOHN TARROW
Author and creative director
When local author John Tarrow wrote the first novels set in the town, he found Great Dunmow was missing one important retailer: a bookshop. So was born the idea of turning the whole town into a giant book store for a single day.
“Essex is a county of deep history and fascinating stories, filled with writers and authors who tap into its unique sense of time and place. Great Dunmow was the perfect place for creating ‘Britain’s most extraordinary home’ and the setting for my young adult fantasy series. I’m looking forward to spilling a little of that Talliston magic into the town.”
CAROLE SULLIVAN
Town Mayor, Town Councillor and Author
Carole is currently Town Mayor of Dunmow, having moved into the area four years ago and working as Town Councillor since then. She is also a wellbeing author and co-founder of The Happy Ladder, a podcast investigating how to increase happiness and improve wellbeing.
“When two friends and I founded The Happy Ladder and wrote Life Balance, we set out to create something practical, a guide to living a happier, more content, and relaxed life. That same spirit of reflection and resilience runs through my work in Great Dunmow, where I serve as Town Councillor and Town Mayor, championing inclusive governance and community wellbeing.”
ROS GREEN
Director of Essex Book Festival
Ros has worked across multiple artforms as a creative producer/director, journalist, arts consultant, and educator, both in the UK and Australia. She began working as Manager of the Canal Café Theatre, a tiny venue located above a pub in Little Venice, London (which taught everything ever needed about survival in the arts), and finally ‘landed’ at Essex Book Festival following completion of her PhD in Literature at the University of Essex.
“Essex Book Festival is hugely excited to be involved in Great Dunmow BookFest. For a town without a bookshop, it is a fantastic idea to bring the community together through storytelling and books. And then, perhaps - you never know - a bookshop might be born in Great Dunmow. Wouldn't that be nice!”
