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Hindustan Times

Bookmark your calendar: Explore the best literature festivals in the UK

The literary heritage of the UK is rich and varied. William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, shaped English drama from Stratford-upon-Avon while Jane Austen's wit and romance seem to echo through Bath, where she once lived and wrote. The Brontë sisters crafted gothic masterpieces from their moorland home in Haworth, and Charles Dickens portrayed Victorian London with vivid realism and social critique. Oxford inspired Lewis Carroll's Alice tales, and also played muse to CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. The Lake District, home of Wordsworth, remains a poetic pilgrimage for lovers of Romanticism while Edinburgh, the world's first UNESCO City of Literature, celebrates writers from Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns to Conan Doyle and JK Rowling. The UK also has a plethora of literature-focused museums, including the Writer's Museum in Edinburgh, the Beatrix Potter museum in the Lake District, the Charles Dickens museum in his former home in London, and the Sherlock Holmes museum (also in London) devoted to Doyle's super-sleuth, and more. From ancient epics to modern fantasy, Britain's literature continues to shape global storytelling. It's no surprise that the nation plays host to many top-class literature festivals through the year. Apart from the biggies like Hay Festival (May 23-June 2) and Edinburgh International Book Festival (August 9-24), there are unusual ones too: Chalke Valley, Dorset, hosts the world's biggest history festival (June 23-29); Ledbury offers a chance to attend the UK's biggest poetry festival (June 27-July 6); and gore takes centre stage at Harrogate's Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Festival (July 17-20). Whether you're a reader or a writer these literary festivals spotlight not just books and authors but also community and inspiration. So, bookmark this list and shore up your literary travel plans for the rest of 2025. Belfast Book FestivalJune 5-12 The Crescent Arts Centre is home to one of the biggest events in Northern Ireland's literary calendar: the Belfast Book Festival. In its 15th edition, the diverse and creative programme will continue its annual celebration of storytelling. The festival organisers have promised a varied programme that includes contemporary fiction, poetry, crime writing, film, the art of journalism, and an exhibition. Earlier participants include Cecelia Ahern, Kevin Barry, Fergal Keane, Jacqueline Wilson, Colm Tóibín, and Paul Lynch. The annual Mairtín Crawford Awards offer support for emerging writers. Sophie Hayles, CEO of The Crescent Arts Centre, has said 'there's some big hitters on there as well as a championing of upcoming and emerging talent - something for everyone, those who are avid readers and those looking to turn the page'. Bradford Literature FestivalJune 27-July 6 One of the UK's largest literature festivals, the Bradford Literature Festival has, since inception 10 years ago, engaged over seven lakh people from 30 countries. Located in the heart of Yorkshire, Bradford, the literature hub of the North, has been named as UK City of Culture 2025 – this makes the festival the perfect time to explore the beautiful city that grew on the back of its textile industry that goes back to the 13th century. Inviting book lovers to explore words and discover worlds, the festival's line up will showcase literature, theatre, music, cultural discussions and lectures. With more than 600 events that will also spotlight politics, world affairs, the climate crisis, and health and wellbeing, the idea is to spark dialogue and foment change. Islay Book FestivalAugust 28-31 Scotland's whisky isle hosts this festival that grew out of a small book club launched in Port Ellen. Founded in 2006, the Islay Book Festival is now a volunteer-run event that's a permanent fixture on the island's busy annual events calendar and on Argyll's cultural scene. The festival has brought in a range of authors, poets, and storytellers, including Ali Smith, Julia Donaldson, Val McDermid, Iain Banks, Ruth Rendell, Chris Brookmyre, Alistair Moffat, Mairi Hedderwick, Colin MacIntyre, Bernard MacLaverty and Ian Rankin. Apart from sessions on crime, historical writing, contemporary fiction, non-fiction, new writing, poetry, performances, and workshops, the festival aims to spotlight Islay's Gaelic culture. Bloody Scotland September 12-14 This Scottish international crime writing festival, held every year in Stirling, was founded in 2012 by Tartan Noir writers Lin Anderson and Alex Gray. It prides itself on being the literary festival 'where you can let your hair down and enjoy a drink at the bar with your favourite crime writer'. The festival includes entertaining and informative events on an array of criminal subjects such as cosy crime, psychological thrillers, forensics, and more. On the sidelines, emerging crime writers can pitch novels they are working on to publishing experts at the Pitch Perfect event. In 2025, Ian Rankin, creator of Detective John Rebus, has been chosen the first guest programmer for Bloody Scotland. He is working in tandem with Festival Director Bob McDevitt to create a thrilling line up. In an interview to The Independent, Rankin said Bloody Scotland was 'epic' and 'manages to remain the world's friendliest and most inclusive crime fiction festival while also attracting the biggest and brightest names in the business to the city of Stirling'. The Queen's Reading Room FestivalChatsworth, Derbyshire, 20 September The one-day Queen's Reading Room Festival grew out of Queen Camilla's online book club launched during the pandemic. It began with Charlie Mackesy and his wonderfully illustrated The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse in January 2021, and became a charity in February 2023. Held at Hampton Court Palace last year, it drew Lee Child, Ann Cleeves, Mary Beard, Ian Rankin, Kate Mosse and Miriam Margolyes, along with actors like Judi Dench, Helena Bonham Carter, and Derek Jacobi bringing alive poetry and Shakespeare. This year, too, Camilla continues on her mission: to foster in adults and children alike 'a lifelong love of literature and connect more people with that special magic that can only be found in the leaves of a book'. The Coast is QueerOctober 9-12 The first festival of its kind in the UK, The Coast is Queer brings together queer readers, writers and allies in a 'celebration of the written word and its ability to illuminate and enrich the life of the community'. The UK has seen a sudden rise in the number of queer book shops opened and LGBTQ+ titles published in the last few years. The Coast is Queer, a celebration of local and global literature in Brighton, the UK's queerest city, was established by New Writing South and Marlborough Productions in 2019 to mark this change. Authors, poets, scriptwriters, performers, activists and audiences congregate at Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts for the festival of talks, books, and ideas from a LGBTQ+ perspective. Cheltenham Literature FestivalOctober 10-19 The world's longest-running literature festival has been celebrating the written and spoken word since 1949. Spotlighting literary bigwigs and top speakers alongside the best new voices in fiction and poetry, the festival is held at a range of venues, including the Cheltenham Town Hall, Everyman Theatre, Queens Hotel, and Dunkertons Taproom. The lineup for 2025 hasn't been announced yet, but it promises to be stellar considering last year's: Judi Dench, Michael Palin, Miriam Richard Ayoade, Jodi Picoult, and Nick Hornby. This year, the team has also curated a seven-night sailing on board Queen May 2 for the Literature Festival at Sea, which will bring together authors, poets, journalists, historians, and book lovers. Durham Book Festival October 10-12 One of the UK's oldest literary festivals, Durham Book Festival is organised in and around the beautiful cathedral city south of Newcastle upon Tyne. Thinkers, writers, and performers, including Philip Pullman, Bill Bryson, PD James, Jung Chang, Rebecca F. Kuang, Pat Barker, and Simon Armitage, have appeared at earlier editions. Alongside the traditional author events and discussions, Durham Book Festival commissions new writing across varied forms and formats each year. Earlier commissions include historian David Olusoga's essay Black and British: Growing up in the North East; a dance-theatre retelling of Rapunzel by Poet Laureate; and a reading of Durham writer Benjamin Myers' novel, Cuddy, with performances from Toby Jones and music from the Shining Levels. London Literature FestivalOctober 23-November 2 Held in 2007 for the first time to celebrate the reopening of the Royal Festival Hall, London Literature Festival has become a highlight of the UK's literary calendar. The 10-day festival features conversations and talks with popular writers, upcoming authors, and those keen to make a career with the written or spoken word. Held at Southbank over the October half term, the festival encourages children and teenagers to attend. Highlights include an Open Day by the National Poetry Library that allows booklovers to explore the world's largest public modern poetry collection, and 'Out-Spoken', a resident poetry and live music night that champions diversity in poetry. The Mallaig Book FestivalNovember 7-9 Perhaps the friendliest book festival of them all, A Write Highland Hoolie combines literature, poetry and music in an immersive weekend. The Hoolie began in 2016 when Sine Davis, owner of West Highland Hotel, and author Polly Pullar teamed up to create something unique 'with everyone under one roof and music in the evenings – a real West Highland ceilidh atmosphere'. The eclectic includes a range of events spanning crime, history, nature, fiction, folklore, poetry, memoir, and outdoor pursuits. Scottish writer Alistair Moffat believes stories are how we understand the world and 'in the midst and the warmth of a Highland ceilidh, unforgettable stories are told, links made and remade, and at the end of a memorable weekend, the world seems somehow better'. Teja Lele is an independent editor and writes on books, travel and lifestyle.