Hastings Book Festival

08/09/2026

Pulitzer-winning US author Thomas Hauser comes to Hastings this Friday to talk about his new book, Sherlock Holmes and Mrs. Rutledge.

Join us for a FREE conversation, Q&A and book signing with the Boxing Hall of Famer and author of the definitive biography of Muhammad Ali.

Thomas will be talking to festival director Tola Dabiri about his new interpretation of Arthur Conan Doyle's canon, which introduces Victoria Rutledge, a figure destined to take her place among the most compelling in Holmes lore.

This Friday 11 September
5.30-6.30pm
Studio 27

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

4 days to go! Here's everything
we've got lined up for you this week:

Thursday

A Load of Poets at 1200 Postcards, 6pm (FREE)

Friday

Thomas Hauser, Friday 5pm (FREE)
David Olusoga, Friday 7pm

Saturday

Rebecca Patterson, 10.30-11.30 (FREE)
Hastings Book Fair, 11am-4pm (FREE)
Alex Milway, 12- 1pm (FREE)
Luke Kennard, 4-5pm
Naomi Wood, 5.30-6.30pm
The Sandy Arse Poets, 7.30-10pm (FREE)

Sunday

How Do I Get Published? 11am-12pm
Poets in Performance, 12.30-6pm
Performative Reading, 6-8pm

Discover the full lineup and book here! https://www.hastingsbookfest.org/our-events

06/09/2026

Final competition reminder: 1 day to go!

We've got prizes up to £250 across our short story, poetry and creative non-fiction categories, plus a new Sandy Arse Seaside Poetry category for poems inspired by the sea.

Enter here: https://www.hastingsbookfest.org/competitions

05/09/2026

Amazing Hastings Embroidery at Town Hall. 1066 to 1966 through the ages. It’s ticketed but free! Don’t miss it!

05/09/2026

Can't make it to the festival in person? This year, for the first time, we're livestreaming three of our wonderful events for you to enjoy from home.

Our livestreamed events are:

and .watson performing a poem to open the Hastings Book Fair and welcome stallholders.
11am, Saturday 12 September (FREE)
https://www.hastingsbookfest.org/events/hastings-book-fair-tim-barlow-livestream

discussing and reading from her new novel The Sisters and The Sword, the second in the Pendragon Prophecy series, as part of our Local Heroes lineup.
12pm, Sunday 20 September (£5)
https://www.hastingsbookfest.org/events/sam-davey-livestream

Children's Laureate talking about how she started writing, creating books to inspire and enthrall children and young adults, and what her two years as laureate might bring.
5pm, Sunday 20 September (£5)
https://www.hastingsbookfest.org/events/childrens-laureate-patrice-lawrence-livestream

04/09/2026

Yesterday evening was a bit special as it was the first of what we hope will be many editions of the Feral Writers Crawl.

So many events in Hastings concentrate on the old town but guess what the New Town has amazing venues with friendly faces and prices to match and it was lovely that we got to keep this one all to ourselves.

Huge thanks to all the writers involved and especially to .ex Chris Limb (great to have you all back) and making their debut at the bar.

Unfortunately we didn't get pictures of you lot however we do have one of the man who came up with the idea for this wonderful night - step forward .

This was just a taster for the Hastings Book Festival - please support this event in the coming weeks.

Lots of varied events, so make sure you check it out

See you at the bar.

XX

THP

03/09/2026

Big names in town as Hastings Book Festival returns

02/09/2026