The Festivals

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.

WayWord Festival: a celebration of  stories and imagination. Children’s authors and illustrators live on  stage, enchanting theatre performances, fun workshops, crafts,  storytelling, films and more! Lots of activities are FREE.

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.

Winchester Children's Festival returns on 6-7 February 2027, bringing together organisations, artists, performers, attractions and community groups from across the city for a weekend packed with activities for children and families.

Formerly known as COWfest (Children of Winchester Festival), the festival is having a fresh new look and name. While the branding may have changed, the heart of the festival remains exactly the same: celebrating creativity, imagination, learning and community through accessible family-friendly experiences across Winchester.

Taking place at The Arc and venues across the city, the festival will feature performances, storytelling, music, workshops, creative activities, exhibitions, drop-in events and family adventures for all ages.

Festival activities will be free or low cost, making it easy for families to explore Winchester's museums, attractions, businesses, venues and creative spaces throughout the weekend.

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 will be celebrating it's 10th anniversary!

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.

As a community-driven literary organisation,  the Worcestershire Literary Festival and Fringe CIC was established in  2010 with the goal of promoting literature and poetry in the region.  Inspired by the success of similar events in other cities, we saw an  opportunity to bring together writers, readers, and performers in  Worcestershire through a series of events and activities.

One  of our main objectives is to provide a platform for emerging talents to  showcase their work and connect with like-minded individuals. We do  this through regular open mic nights where anyone can sign up to read or  perform their work.

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.