Literary Festivals in the UK

There are now literary festivals throughout the year in the UK, and in most areas of the country. The largest ones include:

• The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival, at the end of March
• The Hay Festival, in late May
• Edinburgh International Book Festival, in August
• Cheltenham Festival of Literature, in mid October

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Some Upcoming Events in May/June

The Hay Festival
One of the largest literary festivals in the UK, in the ‘Book’ town of Hay-on-Wye
http://www.hayfestival.co.uk

HowTheLightGetsIn
Philosophy and music festival at Hay
http://www.howthelightgetsin.org

Chalke Valley History Festival

Now the Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival with a huge range of speakers and events, including Ian Hislop presenting an emotional history of Britain, Artemis Cooper on Patrick Leigh Fermor and much more in the Dorset countryside near Salisbury.

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In addition there are many festivals that concentrate on the work of a single writer, such as the Wordsworth Festival in January or the Dylan Thomas Festival in November.

There are also festivals celebrating a particular genre or type of writing, such as the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival or the Clerkenwell experimental writing festival (both in July).

Below is a selected list of literature festivals in the UK, together with links for further details (copy and paste into your browser).

We also list a number of other festivals that may be of interest for combining with a literary tour. These include The Chelsea Flower Show and The Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair. For further information or help with any arrangements, please contact us

JANUARY

Wordsworth Trust - Weekend Arts and Book Festival

A residential course of lectures, surgeries and workshops at the Thistle Hotel in Grasmere

http://www.wordsworth.org.uk

MARCH

Bath Literature Festival
A programme featuring over 100 different literary events from debates and lectures to readers' groups, workshops and films in venues throughout the city.
www.bathlitfest.org.uk

Oundle Festival of Literature
www.oundlelitfest.org.uk.

North London Literary Festival
New annual festival held at Middlesex University in Hendon
www.northlondonlitfest.com / facebook.com/nllf13

King's Sutton Literary Festival
A weekend festival in this charming village close to Banbury, Oxfordshire
www.kslitfest.co.uk

APRIL

The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival
The Festival presents over 200 authors, covering all areas of writing, plus events for children.
http://www.sundaytimes-oxfordliteraryfestival.co.uk

Cambridge Conference of Contemporary Poetry
Trinity College, Cambridge. Takes place each year towards the end of April http://www.cccp-online.org.uk

Cambridge Wordfest
The Festival presents a wide variety of writers over three days in Cambridge towards the end of April each year.
http://www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk/

Stratford Upon Avon Literary Festival
The Stratford upon Avon Literary Festival takes place at the end of April/beginning of May. The festival programme includes author events, workshops, performance poetry and lively panel discussions.
www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk

Colonsay Book Festival
The second Colonsay Book Festival takes place over the weekend of 27th & 28th April 2013 and includes Ian Rankin, John Burnside, Angus Peter Campbell, Candia McWilliam, Maggie Ferguson, Sara Sheridan and Marie Hedderwick
http://www.colonsaybookfestival.org.uk/

MAY

The Charleston Festival
A literary festival at Charleston, country home of Bloomsbury artists Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell
http://www.charleston.org.uk

Fowey Festival of Words and Music
Fowey, Cornwall
http://www.foweyfestival.com/

Lincoln Book Festival
http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/bookfestival

The Boswell Festival

The world's only biography festival, named after that magnificent rogue James Boswell, and taking place at Auchinleck House, his ancient seat. 2013 Festival features James Naughtie, John Sessions and many others including a performance of John Byrne's play Bohemian Rhapsody.

http://www.boswellbookfestival.co.uk

The Hay Festival
One of the largest literary festivals in the UK, in the ‘Book’ town of Hay-on-Wye
http://www.hayfestival.co.uk

HowTheLightGetsIn
Philosophy and music festival at Hay
http://www.howthelightgetsin.org

JUNE

Word – University of Aberdeen Writers Festival
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/word

Swaledale Festival
http://www.swaledale-festival.org.uk

Grassington Festival
A general arts and music festival with some literary events
http://www.grassington-festival.org.uk

Worcestershire Literary Festival
An array of spoken word events, seminars, theatre performances, and more, to inspire, entertain, and educate.
See the programme at http://www.worcslitfest.com

Chalke Valley History Festival
Now the Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival with a huge range of speakers and events, including Ian Hislop presenting an emotional history of Britain, Artemis Cooper on Patrick Leigh Fermor and much more in the Dorset countryside near Salisbury.
See the programme at http://www.cvhf.org.uk 

JULY

Buxton Festival
A festival of opera, music and literature
http://www.buxtonfestival.co.uk

Dartington Hall Festival - Ways With Words
A ten-day literary festival set in the medieval courtyard at Dartington Hall, Devon
http://www.wayswithwords.co.uk

Harrogate Crime Writing Festival
The Cedar Court Hotel, Harrogate
Presents many leading UK and international writers of crime fiction
http://www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime

The Ledbury Poetry Festival
Featuring poets from all over the world including, in 2013, Liz Lockhead, Victor Rodriguez Nunez, and Juliet Stevenson reading Sylvia Plath
5-14 July 2013
http://www.poetry-festival.co.uk

John Clare Festival

The John Clare School, Helpston nr Peterborough
The festival is a celebration of the life and works of John Clare
http://vzone.virgin.net/linda.curry/jclaresociety.htm

Stratford-on-Avon Poetry Festival
http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/content/view/414/414/

AUGUST

Edinburgh International Book Festival
Charlotte Square Gardens, Edinburgh
Major festival of literature and the arts http://www.edbookfest.co.uk

SEPTEMBER

Bristol Poetry Festival
Vibrant celebration of poetry
http://www.poetrycan.co.uk

Graham Greene Festival
http://www.grahamgreenebt.org

Hampstead and Highgate Literary Festival
Takes place at Ivy House, former home of prima ballerina Anna Pavlova.
Sunday 9th - Tuesday 11th September 2012
www.hamhighlitfest.com

Chiswick Book Festival
http://www.chiswickbookfestival.org

Wigtown Festival
Scotland's national book town
http://www.wigtownbookfestival.com/index.asp

Bournemouth Literary Festival
A world or words in Bournemouth
http://www.bournemouthliteraryfestival.co.uk

Henley Literary Festival
http://www.henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk

OCTOBER

Cheltenham Festival of Literature
A long-established literary festival with upwards of 400 speakers
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk

Guildford Book Festival
A wide-ranging festival featuring a broad range of fiction writers, journalists, biographers and personalities
http://www.guildfordbookfestival.co.uk

Burnham Market Book Festival
http://www.whitehousebooks.co.uk

Wimbledon Book Festival
A festival in early October which offers a diverse range of readings and book events at a selection of venues in Wimbledon
http://www.wimbledonbookfest.org

Wirral Bookfest
http://www.wirral.gov.uk/bookfest

Inverness Book Festival
http://www.eden-court.co.uk/programme/59/inverness-book-festival.html

Frinton Literary Festival
11-14 Oct 2012, featuring authors James Runcie, Ruth Dugdall, Barbara Erskine, Rachel Hore, Louise Miller and Simon Heffer
http://www.caxtonbooks.co.uk or call 01255 851505

Gwyl Daniel Owen Festival
Mold Yr Wyddgrug
Includes readings, walks, music and writing competition, and introduction of her latest collection, Ice, by National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke.
http://www.danielowenfestival.com

Peak Literary Festival
Held annually in the spring and autumn (May and October/November) in the Peak District National Park
http://www.countrybookshop.co.uk/peakfestival

NOVEMBER

Aldeburgh International Poetry Festival
www.thepoetrytrust.org

Bridport Literary Festival
11th November to 18th November 2012
Includes Jonathan Dimbleby, Tom Holland, Artemis Cooper, P D James, Michael Frayn and many others. More details at Bridport Literary Festival

London History Festival
Kensington Central Library and Waterstone's Kensington
Sponsored by History Today and featuring many leading historians and writers in the field
www.londonhistoryfestival.com

Dylan Thomas Festival
The Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea
http://www.dylanthomas.com/index.cfm?articleid=8653

Richmond Upon Thames Literature Festival
Features high-profile authors, TV personalities, journalists, poets, politicians, as well as some newer voices, at various venues throughout the borough
http://www.richmond.gov.uk/home/leisure_and_culture/arts/literature_festival.htm

Cambridge Winter Wordfest
At the ADC Theatre in Cambridge
http://www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk/

Southwold Literature Festival
Part of the Ways with Words series of literature festivals, held in the lovely seaside resort of Southwold, Suffolk
http://www.wayswithwords.co.uk

Other Festivals of Interest

RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London
May
A showcase for the world’s most talented garden designers
http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2007/index.asp

The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair
TBA
Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London
June
Features over 90 of the world’s leading dealers
http://www.grosvenorfair.co.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=19&tabindex=18

LAPADA Antiques And Fine Art Fairs
May: LAPADA@TheRoyalAcademy, 6 Burlington Gardens
http://www.lapada.co.uk

Please note: Every effort has been made to ensure information is correct at time of posting, but if you are making your own arrangements to attend please check dates and programme details beforehand with the festival concerned.

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