The Festivals

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.

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.

A ten-day literary celebration in Scotland's National Book Town. Our flagship event, Wigtown Book Festival welcomes international audiences and a prestigious cast of authors each year.

Founded in 1999, the festival is now one of the UK's best-loved literary events with over 200 events, including music, theatre, food and visual arts.

Wimbledon BookFest brings the very best of global art and culture to South London. Our annual festival takes place every October in central Wimbledon and attracts audience of 20,000, including over 100 author events. Our year-round schools programme reaches children’s from over 70 primary & secondary schools each year, including pupils facing the most disadvantage.

Co-founders Sophie Liardet and Sian Searles share an unwavering passion for bringing the most exciting and thought-provoking authors to Winchester—a city steeped in culture and the perfect setting for a world-class books festival.

Their bold vision and ambition for the Winchester Books Festival shines through their creative and forward-thinking partnerships.

Wirksworth Book Festival celebrates the joy of books.

The festival features national and local authors talking about their work. Genres include historical fiction, poetry, crime and the outdoors. There will also be writing workshops, drop-in craft activities and a poetry slam.

A two day festival where you can meet and listen to talks by authors of children’s books. Learn about the process of writing and have a lot of fun!

Wolverhampton Literature Festival is an annual event held on the first weekend of February, hosted by the City of Wolverhampton Council with funding support from Arts Council England.

The festival aims to amplify and celebrate the voices of authors, poets, writers, storytellers, and publishers from across the UK. Over the course of a weekend, the festival hosts a line up of well known authors & speakers alongside local writers, artists and creatives, coming together to celebrate art, culture and literacy within the city.

The book festival has been an important feature on the Keswick community calendar for 25 years. 2024 saw an exciting new adventure with Words by the Water in partnership with the independent Keswick bookshop, Bookends and Theatre by the Lake. The festival is a place to come together and share ideas, learn, discuss and discover.

The Wrexham Carnival of Words is an annual literature festival held in the city of Wrexham, North Wales, for one week at the end of April each year.

It's organised each year by an enthusiastic band of book addicts, each with their own knowledge, skills and expertise. Our mission has always been to deliver inspiring cultural experiences to Wrexham and its communities through a varied programme of events about books and reading. We incorporate every genre of literature and host events in both Welsh and English.

Also incorporates a children's festival.

We produce opportunities for writers and artists of all backgrounds to develop their skills and experiences, with a specific clear focus and remit to support Black, Asian and ethnically diverse creatives on their artistic journeys.

We also produce activities and events for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn about the heritage, culture and arts of diaspora communities, specifically Black, Asian and ethnically diverse people in the UK.