The festival kicked off on Friday 7 November 2008 when TV comedian Mark Steel, a Tom Paine fan, appeared at Diss Corn Hall. This was a sell-out and hugely enjoyed.

  Storyteller Hugh Lupton appeared, with Nick Hennessey, in the UR Church on Saturday 10 January at 7.30pm with The Liberty Tree tracing the History of Dissent, from Robin Hood to Tom Paine. We planted a Liberty Tree in commemoration.

    18th century underwear was featured during the day on Saturday 24 January at the UR Church, to commemorate Paine's staymaking in Diss.

  There was an 18th century evening, with people dressing up, having fun and reading from novels, plays and poems at the Friends Meeting House on the evening of Saturday 31 January.

  Friday 6 February saw The Big Debate, whether Paine was a great man or an agent of destruction. Tim Holt-Wilson spoke for Paine, with Dr. Adrian Bailey against. (UR Church, 7.30pm). The audience decided by 74-3 that Paine was a great man. There was also a film, made locally, about Paine.

 From 16-21 February the Textile and Art Exhibition , by the embroidery group, the spinners, weavers & dyers, the knitters and the art group, inspired by Paine and the 18th century, drew 227 people to the Stables Gallery.

  Guests sampled 18th century food, including authentically made game pies, at lunchtime in St. Mary's Hall on Saturday 28 February.

  The museum features a Tom Paine display, including a study of the history of Denmark Street where he worked, from 18 March.

 Horses Brawl returned to Diss for an 18th century concert/ceilidh at the Corn Hall on Saturday 21 March.

 On the morning of Easter Saturday 11 April, the Norwich Early Dance Group performed 18th century dance at the Mere's Mouth. 

  There was also an open day at Ellough Airfield near Beccles to commemorate an act of skill and bravery when a WW2 pilot brought the damaged Tom Paine B17 bomber down safely.

  Re-enactors from the 1^st American Regiment, Queen’s Rangers were in town on Saturday 2^nd May, outside the museum and in the Park.

  From 8 May artist Ned Pamphilon will be executing a painting of Thomas Paine’s eyes at the Park Pavilion.

    Peter Clark, author of The Lefties Guide to Britain, ran a tour of Radical Diss on Sunday 10 May, including the unveiling of a Paine plaque in Beehive Yard, where Paine worked. The plaque was designed by yard resident Gary Breeze. 40 people took part in the tour. 

    The Foreign Press Association were shown around the town by Tom Paine and friends on Tuesday 12 May, starting at the Mere’s mouth. As they walked through the park they met William Blake, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Edmund Burke, Mary Wollstonecraft and Georges-Jacques Danton. At Beehive Yard, where Paine used to work they met Mrs. Gudgeon, wife of his staymaking employer. A visit to the museum was followed by an excellent period lunch by Fredrick's Fine Foods.   

   The film society presented Stanley Kubrick's film Barry Lyndon at the Corn Hall on Saturday 23 May. 

    Brilliant folk-rock band The Men They Couldn't Hang, whose song The Colours mentions Paine, appeared at Garboldisham Village Hall on Saturday 30 May, supported by Magic Folk. Over 200 people came to what the band said was one of their best ever gigs.

   There was a one-man Paine show by American actor Ralph Lister on Friday 5 June at the UR Church. 

  There was free transport from Diss to Thetford on Saturday 6 June, the Paine bi-centenary weekend, to participate in many colourful events.

  Leading playwright and scriptwriter Trevor Griffiths talked about his fascination with writing a film version of Paine’s life. (UR Church, Sat 13 June.)

  The festival lasted about seven months and drew nearly 1,800 people.