The University of Aberdeen May Festival is underway, with over a hundred events on offer over the next three days.
The University of Aberdeen May Festival got underway today (Friday) and over the next three days, audiences of all ages will experience the joy and inspiration of books, music, film, science, food, history, nature, sport and more in the glorious setting of Old Aberdeen.
The Festival will take audiences on a journey of discovery where they can hear exciting journeys to the top from adventurer Matt Dickinson, one of only a handful of British climbers to scale Everest’s north summit, former Newsnight host and journalist Gavin Esler who will draw on his experiences of interviewing the world’s most powerful people, and Patrick Miley, coach and father of one of Scotland’s most successful swimmers, Hannah Miley.
Lliterary events are once again are at the heart of the festival with acclaimed writer Michel Faber, whose novel The Crimson Petal and White was dramatised for TV, and award-winner David Mitchell who has twice been listed for the Booker Prize and whose novel Cloud Atlas was adapted for a film starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry.
Tales of a different kind will be shared by Matt Lewis, now an award-winning novelist, who will recount his extraordinary story of survival at sea following the sinking of a boat where 17 of the crew were lost, and producer Oggy Boytchev who will detail what it is like to work with journalists including the BBC’s John Simpson in war-zones around the world.
Film and music will once again feature strongly with Notting Hill director Roger Michell explaining what it’s like to work with stars including Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant and performances from the internationally-renowned Edinburgh Quartet and PJ Moore of the band Blue Nile.
The country’s culinary delights will be showcased with a dedicated strand supported as part of the Year of Food and Drink 2015, an initiative led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, whichwill see nutritionists team up with the Kilted Chef Craig Wilson to create delicious healthy meals, a wild food forage, a produce market and a whisky tasting.
The Festival will also cover major current issues with a debate on the future of the NHS hosted by BBC health correspondent Eleanor Bradford, expert analysis on Scotland in the wake of the General Election, a discussion on how we can feed an ever-growing population and a look at the future of sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition to the main Festival programme, the free Marathon Oil Children’s Festival will run throughout Saturday and Sunday with plenty of events on offer to inspire young minds ranging from a campfire party to an animal roadshow and rap and street poetry workshops.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond, Principal and Vice-Chancellor University of Aberdeen, said: “For 2015, May Festival is about discovery – audiences can discover more about their world, history, science, culture and current issues.
“It is also a chance to discover more about the University and the role it plays in discovery, as well as your own individual potential.
“We really do have something for everyone from literature, music and film to science, the environment, sport, food and drink and current affairs – and we’ll even host some in Gaelic. It is the Aberdeen festival catering for all.”
To purchase tickets for the May Festival, please visit the festival box office in King’s Conference Centre.