Settling down with a good book can be a great way of unwinding after a hard day, and travelling to interesting and far-off places without even leaving your armchair. You can stroll down sunset sands, take a trip through medieval Europe, or even journey far off into the cosmos (which I’m sure a lot of us have been thinking about, as planet Earth hasn’t exactly been the most happening place to be for the past twelve months).
And this March seems to be a time when everybody’s flexing their reading muscles. After a winter spent binging on Netflix and leftover Christmas goodies, what better way is there to celebrate the new season than getting back into books? There’s a huge calendar of events to enjoy taking place over the next couple of weeks, and there’s something for everyone - let's make March our month for reading!.
15-21st March
National Shakespeare Week
Celebrate your love of theatre and get involved with a whole world of virtual olde worlde fun for National Shakespeare Week! From poetry readings to play-alongs and baking, it’s the perfect time to get back to basics with one of the writers who shaped the English language. Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo? He’s either inside, doing essential shopping or exercising no more than seven miles from his home and wearing a face covering when appropriate, hopefully.
19th March
International Read to Me Day
International Read to Me Day is all about reading together. It was established by the Child Writes Foundation encourage the growth of adult literacy by fostering a culture of reading to children and strengthening those family and community bonds. It’s a great day to get involved, find out more about the campaign and escape to some wonderful places between the pages of a book.
20th March
World Storytelling Day
World Storytelling Day celebrates the art of telling a tale all across the globe! It’s where the world community takes the time to tell and listen to stories in as many languages as possible, and celebrate the narratives that bring us together on an international scale. Whether you sit down with your family for a bedtime story or join in with an event online, the 20th of March is the perfect day to tell some stories.
21st March
World Poetry Day
Handy with a haiku or bewitched by a good turn-of-the-century ballad? The UN World Poetry Day celebrations might be right up your street: whether you’re a writer of verse or simply love the poetic form, UNESCO’s vision is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression, and offer endangered languages and this ancient art form a chance to be heard. There are plenty of recitals and workshops taking place online this year, so grab your pen and paper and get involved!
25th March
Tolkien Reading Day
Hobbits, you’ve got to love them – forever making it acceptable to squeeze in a second breakfast alongside your first breakfast, elevenses and lunch. The Tolkien Society comes together on the 25th of March to celebrate the works of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien, creator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit with readings, zoom events and fun on social media. We haven’t seen any formal calls to dress up, but honestly, if you want to spend the evening dressed as Gimli then we fully support it.
27th March
Start That Book Day
We’ve all got a book somewhere (shoved in a suitcase, left on the bedside, propping up a wonky table leg) that we’ve been to get to grips with for ages now. The 27th of March is our day! No more waiting for the perfect time or until you’ve finished your latest podcast, we’re starting that book today, and we’re finishing it too - although possibly not today.