The Festivals

Accessible, welcoming, and thoughtfully designed, The Sykehouse Film and Writers’ Festival offers a unique blend of professional curation, hands-on learning, and community spirit. Discover new stories, hone your skills, pitch your work, meet creative minds, and leave feeling inspired, energized, and part of a growing cultural movement.

Our festival celebrates diversity and inclusion as standard practice, featuring work by creators from multiple backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Whether you’re attending as a student, a local film lover, or an established practitioner, the weekend is designed to make you feel seen, inspired, and part of a thriving creative community.

Literary panels, author events, and interactive workshops

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

Prepare to immerse yourselves in ten days of literary wonder at the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival (TWLF) from 1-10 May. Event and workshop tickets are now on sale at www.twlf.co.uk 

Over 150 artists authors and performers will entertain you across 56 events at 10 venues across Tunbridge Wells. This year we have over 8,000 seats available, 2,000 of which are pay what you can, as well as free activities and performances to watch and take part in.

The stellar line-up for 2026 includes national treasure Gyles Brandreth celebrating 100 years of Winnie the Pooh, Sunday Times No.1 Bestselling poet Donna Ashworth in conversation with Davina McCall, comedian, impressionist and satirist Rory Bremner, widely published poet Jess Mookherjee, renowned historical novelist Essie Fox, award-winning Trinidadian-born British writer Monique Roffey, presenter and satirist Iain Dale in conversation with Mike Martin MP to name a few.

Ullapool Book Festival is an intimate and welcoming annual literary festival held in May on the shores of Loch Broom in the Highlands of Scotland.

Hello! We’re delighted to welcome you to the very first Wantage Children’s Books Festival, a joyful celebration of stories, imagination and community. With a busy programme of exciting events from some of the UK’s best loved authors and illustrators, there’s something on offer for families with children of all ages, from babies up to teens. And the good news is that it’s all completely FREE!

Research has shown that children who grow up reading for the fun of it are happier, have an easier school experience and even go onto have more life opportunities when they’re older. And because 2026 is the National Year of Reading, we wanted to make sure that the families and schools of south Oxfordshire didn’t miss out on this opportunity to celebrate books and reading. We hope the festival will entertain, engage and inspire you and your family to get reading - and to keep reading!

With over 40 thrilling events on the horizon, we are bringing together brilliant authors, poets, and thinkers for unforgettable conversations, workshops, and performances. From literary legends to rising stars, it is all happening in our historic market town.

Celebrating Literature in Warminster

Authors showcasing their books  and sharing their love of writing and reading

A festival of books and creative writing for all ages!

Warwick is the ideal location for a History Festival, with its own rich history and a wealth of historic buildings in which to stage our events. Our guest speakers, many of whom are acclaimed historians of international standing, tell us how much they relish coming to Warwick for the Festival, speaking in such historic surroundings and meeting our enthusiastic and knowledgeable audiences.

We also host local speakers and authors, as part of our In and Around Warwick local history project, and work closely with Warwick Castle and Unlocking Warwick, a volunteer group based at The Court House in Jury Street, to present walks, talks and other local history events. We continue to collaborate with the University of Warwick to present our popular Tea Time Talks – now Warwick University Talks – public lectures, with a history theme.

Featuring events with many bestselling and beloved Children’s authors, comic and writing workshops, storytelling, craft activities and character costume appearances, the festivals will be a family-friendly celebration of stories and illustration, highlighting the joys of reading, writing, and drawing.

Each summer, Boldshaves becomes home to Wealden Festival – a weekend that brings together writers, thinkers and nature lovers in celebration of stories and the natural world. Set among gardens and ancient woodland, the festival offers space to slow down, listen and share ideas.

Wasing Estate is delighted to announce the return of its acclaimed literary festival Well Read for 2026, with a phenomenal line-up of best-selling authors, including headliners Miranda Hart, Prue Leith, and Alexander Armstrong.

Taking place on 14 June within the Berkshire estate's ancient woodlands, this exciting event promises a refreshing approach to literature, blending creative expression with the healing powers of nature.

Well Read goes beyond the traditional literary festival, offering a captivating blend of talks, readings and panel discussions alongside live music, immersive outdoor experiences and wellness offerings. A phenomenal line-up of broadcasters, authors, actors and presenters will inspire, entertain, and explore topics ranging from the environment, sustainability, health and wellbeing, personal growth, and the emotional power of classical music.

The Festival promotes a love of reading, of the pleasure to be found in picking up a book and discovering new worlds, fresh ideas or fascinating characters within its cover. For more than 30 years Wells Festival of Literature has attracted a wide range of writers, from novelists to scientists, politicians to poets, to come and inspire its audiences. 

And it doesn’t stop there as the Festival works year-round with local schools and colleges.  An exciting programme of author visits and classroom workshops all help youngsters to discover the joy of reading for themselves.

Established in 2014, WhitLit has built a large and loyal audience, drawn by its distinctive mix of high-quality literary events and its relaxed coastal setting. What began as an annual festival has evolved into a year-round programme, offering regular opportunities to engage with writers, ideas and storytelling in an intimate and welcoming environment.

Events throughout the year.

In its inaugural year, Whitby’s Literature Festival is a celebration of writing and authors, past and present, in many genres, including novels, short stories, plays and poetry, some of which have been inspired by Whitby along the way.