The Festivals

Sutton Coldfield's first ever Literary Arts Festival is here — and it's bringing the written and spoken word to life like never before.

Over one weekend, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall will be filled with the voices of poets, authors, storytellers and creative minds — many of them right here from our local community. Whether you're a lifelong bookworm, an aspiring writer, or simply curious, there's something to spark your imagination.

Swanage Literary Festival returns this November, taking over The Mowlem’s Studio for two days.

The event features author talks and poetry workshops, with books that feature Swanage (Breaking Waves, by Emma Simpson) and Dorset (The Whalebone Theatre), Joanna Quinn and Alex Stones’ Dorset-based psychological thrillers.

The 2026 Swindon Festival of Literature will present a wide range of literature-linked events, in Swindon, and will start with the ever-popular Dawn Chorus on 4th May, and finish with the fabulous Festival Finale on 10th May.

In between, there will be a host of daily events, including fascinating author talks and presentations at the Arts Centre, at the town’s bookshops, libraries, and Lower Shaw Farm.

There are also likely to be writing workshops, poetry in a park, a fourth Flash Fiction Slam, storytelling events, a film night, and a Children & Families Activities Day on 10th May.​

​The Festival programme will be launched at 12 midday on Thursday 2nd April ‘26.

We are looking forward once again to celebrating good reading, fine writing, and free speaking, in Swindon.

Love Literature!  Love Life! ​

Held at Althorp House in Northamptonshire, the home of the Spencer family, this celebrated event brings together renowned authors, historians, and thinkers for a weekend of talks and conversations.

Bringing together authors and poets, performers, scriptwriters, activists and audiences to celebrate queer lives and writing. Presented by New Writing South in partnership with Marlborough Productions.

For over 20 years, we’ve been bringing brilliant writers to Frinton-on-Sea to celebrate books, ideas and the joy of reading.

From our much-loved fundraising quiz to our flagship festival weekend each October, our programme brings together bestselling authors, new voices and curious audiences. We also run a creative writing competition, workshops and events for schools.

Every other year the Society for Storytelling arranges The Gathering – an in-person get-together of talks, workshops and storytelling. It’s a wonderful opportunity for story lovers to meet, mingle, share yarns, reconnect with old friends and build new ones. It’s also a great time to find out what the SfS has planned for the coming year.

Their website has lots of storytelling events listed around the country as well.

https://www.sfs.org.uk/listings/ 

Across four days, Greene’s life and work is celebrated in a warm, welcoming and inclusive event. Speakers range from famous Greene admirers to film-makers, artists, publishers, scholars, young researchers, writers and straightforward fans and admirers.

A long summer weekend celebration of the written & spoken word all unfolding against the backdrop that inspired generations of writers. Including talks, panels & interviews with much-loved authors & commentators.

Come for the books. Stay for the conversations.

The Laugharne Weekend is an annual literary and arts festival in West Wales.

The festival is deliberately small-scale. The size of the town - which itself is very small - ensures that the festival will not grow beyond certain bounds. Its location means that festival visitors and townspeople rub shoulders with the artists and performers.

The Laugharne Weekend concentrates on literature, music and comedy, bringing talent from all over the world but always maintaining a particular kinship with writers and musicians from Wales or who have a connection with Wales.

The friendly litfest  by the sea!

A nine-day festival in marvellous Margate

Big name authors at Turner Contemporary, creative writing workshops, poetry slam, three days of children’s events, book launches, school visits, literary walks, podcasts, ice cream, fish and chips and the loveliest skies in Europe.  And possibly donkeys as well.

The National Eisteddfod is the largest cultural festival in Europe, held in a different part of Wales every year. Join us in Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, Llantwd, north Pembrokeshire.

The Queen’s Reading Room, launched by Her Majesty Queen Camilla in 2023, is the charity working to celebrate and promote the power and benefits of reading, in the UK and beyond.

The flagship literary festival returns on the 19th and 20th September in the stunning grounds of Chatsworth in Derbyshire - designed to celebrate the joy of reading and bringing together many of today’s greatest writers.

We’ve expanded our programme across two days to bring you as many fantastic speakers as possible, including: Elif Shafak, Ann Cleeves, Kate Atkinson, Reeta Chakrabarti, Harlan Coben, Lee Child, William Boyd, Clare Balding, Philippa Perry, Nussaibah Younis, and many more.

All authors will have book signings after their talks, giving you the chance to meet your heroes, ask your burning questions and get yourself a signed copy.

Each May, the town of Fowey bursts into creative bloom as the Du Maurier Fowey Literary Festival brings together a wide variety of writers, readers, artists, musicians, and curious minds of all ages. Nestled on Cornwall’s south coast, our festival is more than a celebration of literature, it’s a living expression of cultural connection, community pride, and artistic discovery. Set against the backdrop of rich local heritage and the timeless influence of Daphne du Maurier, it is Cornwall’s first and longest running literary festival and a beloved part of the town’s identity.

Since its creation in 1997, the work we do has honoured the legacy of Daphne du Maurier, whose presence in Fowey shaped some of her most enduring work. Her voice still echoes through the cliffs and coves, the houses and harbours of this landscape.

The 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious celebration of crime fiction, takes place on 23-26 July 2026.

This year, we welcome Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn, Anthony Horowitz, Holly Jackson, Chris Brookmyre, Chris Whitaker, Jane Harper and LJ Ross. As well as previously announced headliners Nadine Matheson, Gillian McAllister, Steve Cavanagh, Alice Feeney and David Baldacci, curated by 2026 Festival Programming Chair, Lisa Jewell.

Ticehurst Literary Festival aims to bring world-class authors to rural East Sussex, for the enjoyment of all. We believe literature can promote understanding, provide escapism, knowledge, recognition, pleasure, and even company. Books are a meeting of the imaginations of author and reader, at Ticehurst Literary Festival the two can meet in person.

Tidelines Book Festival is a community-run charitable trust bringing world-class literary events to Ayrshire at affordable prices. The aim of Tidelines is to encourage involvement with and participation in literature in all its forms. We aspire to reach as wide an audience as possible, particularly those who might not readily think of the written word as entertainment or might lack confidence in engaging in cultural activity.

The Festival was first established in 2013 following a great idea by local Ayrshire man John Steele and runs over one weekend in late September at the Harbour Arts Centre on Irvine’s historic harbourside. Alongside the main festival Tidelines also runs a schools programme, organising free author visits to local schools within North Ayrshire’s most deprived areas, to encourage engagement with reading and literacy. We also run ad hoc community events, such as free creative writing workshops for those at risk of loneliness and isolation.

The Tobermory Book Festival is designed to celebrate Mull's place as an island book capital. What better way could there be to spend a few days than in Scotland's most beautiful small town listening to superb speakers and enjoying the best of Highland food?

Todmorden Book Festival showcases the work of new and established writers from across the region & the UK, with fiction, nonfiction & poetry events for adults, young adults & children.

We’re welcoming a wonderful mix of authors, poets, journalists and performers, alongside workshops, family activities and free community events. Whether you’re here to hear from your favourite writers, discover new voices, or simply soak up the festival atmosphere, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

2026 TBC