Three days of literature plus ale, sausages and a cocktail

With spicy television drama Apple Tree Yard author Louise Doughty at the festival, Deeping St James pork producer Grasmere Farm has devised a suitably spicy Apple Tree Yard Sausage to reflect the story’s nature.

Louise is set to visit the award winning pork producer’s shop in Market Deeping to sample the distinctly apple themed sausage for herself.

Sausage sales will result in £1 for every pack sold donated to the library whose closure threat inspired the festival.

Castor Ales, a village micro brewery owned and run by Duncan Vessey, is producing a special Salters Tree ale.

It commemorates the poem by English poet John Clare whose celebrations of the English countryside can be seen at the nearby John Clare Cottage in Helpston.

Salters Tree ale will be stocked by Market Deeping’s Iron Horse Ranch, the Waterton Arms in Deeping St James and the Blue Bell in Helpston.

To complete the festival menu, staff at The Stage in Market Deeping will be offering a distinctive toast to the festival with a Harry Potter-themed cocktail guaranteed to give a magical lift to drinkers.

Retailers are also joining in festival fever with a shop window dressing competition. Seizing another spicey theme, Crowland Carpets is leading the way with a 50 Shades of Grey display.

With many events now a sell out, tickets are still available for some programmed features including Sunday evening’s Lincolnshire Letters Aloud where Afghan war veteran Cassidy Little will be joining the readings.

Cassidy, from Market Deeping, will be including the story of an American B-176 Flying Fortress bomber which crashed on September 8,1944, with a letter written by tail gunner and sole survivor Don Holigan to his mother.

Eight Americans, including the pilot, were killed in the Fortress crash with serious damage to buildings at Crown Lodge Farm at Langtoft Fen and a lucky escape for the Sharpe family who lived there.

Taking off from Polebrook Airfield near Oundle, the aircraft, a veteran of 64 combat missions, was soon in trouble. Don Holigan’s letter started . ‘Dear Mom, you have wanted to hear what happened so here goes.”

Polebrook was first used by the 97th and then by the 351st bomber groups, of which a famous crew member was US film heartthrob Clark Gable.

The Lincolnshire Letters Aloud readings in Deeping St James Parish Church will feature music from popular performers Intermezzo String Quartet.

The events gets under way at 7pm and tickets cost £7.50.

Tickets are still available for the family storytelling show ‘A Family Audience with The Travelling Talesman’ with three shows on Saturday.

Traditional storyteller Cliff Eastabrook has toured all over the country with his performances of myths, legends, and folktales. Perfect for family viewings.

You can see A Family Audience with The Travelling Talesman at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm at Deeping St Mary Priory Church. Tickets cost£2.50 per person, or a family of four ticket costs £8.

Peter’s Railway author Chris Vine will be at the Green School, Market Deeping, on Saturday at 10am and then again at 2pm when he will be firstly giving a talk about his books, and in the afternoon re-enacting the story of a picnic when children load a model train with real food which they later consume as part of a picnic. The event is supported by Market Deeping Model Railway Club who will have a layout on display. Tickets are just £6 for a family and are available at the door.

For full festival details visit www.deepingsliteraryfestival.co.uk