There are now literary festivals throughout the year in the UK, and in most areas of the country. The largest ones include:
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
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.
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
A residential course of lectures, surgeries and workshops at the Thistle Hotel in Grasmere
http://www.wordsworth.org.uk
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
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/
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
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
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/
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Charlotte Square Gardens, Edinburgh
Major festival of literature and the arts
http://www.edbookfest.co.uk
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
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
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
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.
Upcoming events in May / June include:
For more details see the Festivals page.