Ilkley Literature Festival

Ilkley Literature Festival The north of England's longest-running literature festival, taking place each October.

10/09/2026

Tickets are selling fast! Book now to lock down your favourite events 🎟️

ilkleylitfest.org.uk

Due to popular demand, we've made a few tweaks to make sure you get to see the event you want to! We've now moved both Z...
10/09/2026

Due to popular demand, we've made a few tweaks to make sure you get to see the event you want to! We've now moved both Zahra Joya: The Vanishing Girl of Kabul and and Tom Fort: Lido Land to bigger venues. We've also added a second running of David Lascelles' Out of Colditz for those who missed out on booking the first event before it sold out.

Book now before they sell out again! ilkleylitfest.org.uk

Zahra Joya: The Vanishing Girl of Kabul | Ilkley Grammar School, Sat 3 Oct, 7.30pm
David Lascelles: Out of Colditz | Ilkley Grammar School, Sat 10 Oct, 6.15pm
Tom Fort: Lido Land | All Saints' Church, Sat 17 Oct, 1.15pm

Six years ago on this day we lost icon and actor, Diana Rigg (20 July 1938 – 10 September 2020).Stephen Sondheim wrote a...
10/09/2026

Six years ago on this day we lost icon and actor, Diana Rigg (20 July 1938 – 10 September 2020).

Stephen Sondheim wrote a song for her; Ted Hughes translated a play. An icon at twenty-seven, Yorkshire-born actor Diana Rigg was Emma Peel, the cat-suited Avenger, and 007’s only wife. She was equally unforgettable as Medea, Mother Courage, Mrs Danvers and Game of Thrones’ Queen of Thorns. Straighttalking, witty and fearless, Rigg fought for equal pay and took the Daily Mail to court (winning both times). Her only child – Rachael Stirling, also an actor – has written the memoir her mother did not, sharing with us the woman she knew: gloriously naughty, deeply loving, and taking no prisoners.

Join us on Friday 9th October at 7.30pm in the King's Hall to hear about Diana from her daughter, Rachael Stirling.

Learn more and book at https://buff.ly/yebDyKx

🍂 Events at Bradford Arts Centre this October 🍂 PAHARI-POTHWARI MUSHAIRA, Sat 3 OctJoin us for an evening dedicated to l...
09/09/2026

🍂 Events at Bradford Arts Centre this October 🍂

PAHARI-POTHWARI MUSHAIRA, Sat 3 Oct
Join us for an evening dedicated to literature in Pahari-Pothwari, the invisible mother tongue of around 60% of British Pakistanis, with its rich and ancient tradition of sung verse and oral storytelling. Bringing together poets and writers from across the country, the 5th Mushaira celebrates our shared heritage through poetry, storytelling and spoken word.

BRADFORD WRITES, Wed 14 Oct
Join multilingual poet and writer Nabeela Ahmed for this regular showcase of the work of ten regional published writers. October’s event features short story writer Matt Hill and poet Agnieszka Stachura as well as eight other writers of a range of genres and languages. Listen to each writer for ten minutes, chat to them over a cuppa and be inspired by all their creativity.

To book tickets, visit bdartscentre.co.uk

Hear from Word Up North’s 2026 cohort of New Northern Poets: Pamela Crowe, Nicky Kippax, Wendelin Law, Becky May, Barsa ...
08/09/2026

Hear from Word Up North’s 2026 cohort of New Northern Poets: Pamela Crowe, Nicky Kippax, Wendelin Law, Becky May, Barsa Ray, and Spencer Wood. This is a unique opportunity to catch readings of new work from some of the most exciting rising poets in the north at the beginning of their poetic careers.

Presented in partnership with The Rialto, Stand Magazine & University of Leeds.

We've compiled some top events based on your favourite podcasts. Scroll through to find your most listened to podcast, a...
07/09/2026

We've compiled some top events based on your favourite podcasts. Scroll through to find your most listened to podcast, and what event we'd recommend for you!

Stuff You Should Know -> Ijeoma Uchegbu's Chain Reaction
This Paranormal Life -> Daniel Lavelle's Chasing Aliens
The Rest is History -> Nandini Das' This Little World
No Such Thing as a Fish -> Anthea Lawson's How Not to Save the World
Off Menu -> Shahnaz Ahsan's The Jackfruit Chronicles

Our events are like in-person podcast episodes but within the setting of beautiful Ilkley. Learn, discover, and be entertained at Ilkley Lit Fest.

Comment below any other podcast/ILF event pairings you can think of (or share your favourite podcast and we'll recommend you an event!)

ilkleylitfest.org.uk

📖 Happy Buy a Book Day! 📖 In our fast-paced, digital world, it’s easy to forget the simple pleasure of holding a physica...
07/09/2026

📖 Happy Buy a Book Day! 📖

In our fast-paced, digital world, it’s easy to forget the simple pleasure of holding a physical book in our hands and losing ourselves in its pages.

In Ilkley, we're lucky to have a number of fabulous bookshops on our doorstep, including The Grove - Official Bookseller of Ilkley Literature Festival since 2002. In the months leading up to the Festival, we liaise with The Grove on events, venues and what books to order. During the Festival, you will often see The Grove’s pop-up stands at our various venues where you can buy the book before getting your copy signed by the author.

If you want to know more about The Grove Bookshop, visit their website: https://www.grovebookshop.com/

Many of our authors have strong connections to Yorkshire, having been born and raised here, or living and working here f...
06/09/2026

Many of our authors have strong connections to Yorkshire, having been born and raised here, or living and working here for a large part of their lives.

ILF takes place under the watchful eye of Ilkley Moor - are you familiar with the classic folk song, On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at? A great example of Yorkshire dialect (and a cautionary tale to remember to wear your hat to shield from the cold on the moors!)

What's your favourite thing (or person!) from Yorkshire? Share in the comments ⬇️

Find the perfect workshop for you at this year's Ilkley Lit Fest 📖 🖋️ Poet's Corner Reading Group🖋️ Emma Conally-Barklem...
05/09/2026

Find the perfect workshop for you at this year's Ilkley Lit Fest 📖

🖋️ Poet's Corner Reading Group
🖋️ Emma Conally-Barklem: Taking Flight
🖋️ Cathy Rentzenbrink: Finding Your Voice
🖋️ JC Niala: Nature Journaling
🖋️ Shabnam Ahsan: Writing Ghost Stories

Learn more & book at https://buff.ly/0Msy2je

Amazing to see three of our authors on the Baillie Gifford non-fiction prize longlist! Huge congratulations to Charlotte...
04/09/2026

Amazing to see three of our authors on the Baillie Gifford non-fiction prize longlist! Huge congratulations to Charlotte Higgins, Jane Rogoyska, and Matthew Sweet.

Charlotte Higgins: Ukrainian Lessons
Jane Rogoyska: Hotel Exile
Matthew Sweet: The Great Dictator - A Life of Barbara Cartland

Learn more about these great books and their authors at our festival - ilkleylitfest.org.uk

Address

2nd Floor, Fairfax House, 38 The Grove
Ilkley
LS299EE

Telephone

+441943601210

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