Lancaster Literature Festival

Polly Checkland Harding
Sarah Hall. Photo by Richard Thwaites.
Author Sarah Hall. Photo by Richard Thwaites.

12 — 21 March 2021 Entrance is free — Visit now

Lancaster Literature Festival celebrated its 40th anniversary in style in 2019, cementing its status as one of the oldest literature festivals in the country with appearances from writers including Sarah Moss and Ian McMillan, as well as the illustrator of a new coffee table edition of J. K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Run by a volunteer board, the annual festival brings a full programme of literature events to venues across Lancaster every year. There are talks, readings, walks, exhibitions, workshops and more to be found in Lancaster Castle, The Gallery at The Dukes and even Lancaster’s Pizza Margherita.

Authors speaking and appearing at past festivals include the award-winning poet and writer Jackie Kay – the Scots Makar or national poet laureate for Scotland since 2016 – acclaimed poet and essayist Kathlyn Jamie, and poet, critic, editor, playwright and novelist Sean O’Brien, thrice winner of the Forward Prize and author of The Drowned Book and The Beautiful Librarians. There are also regular appearances from figures in the publishing industry, such as Kevin Duffy of Bluemoose Books, a multi award-winning independent publisher which is based in Hebden Bridge. Novels published by Bluemoose Books have won the Walter Scott Prize, Portico Literature Prize, the Guardian’s Not The Booker prize and The Northern Writers Award.

Alongside the annual festival, the Lancaster Litfest team is regularly involved in other wider projects, such as Walking Solo, a podcast based on walks taken in and around Lancaster by Polly Atkin and Jenn Ashworth. Litfest also runs the Litfest International Book Club, a friendly and open monthly discussion of the best works of contemporary fiction in translation – such as Based on a True Story by Delphine de Vigan, which won France’s prestigious Prix Renaudot in 2015. Better still, sessions are often attended by the writers, translators and editors of the books themselves.

12 — 21 March 2021 Entrance is free Visit now

Where to go near Lancaster Literature Festival

food and drink
Restaurant
Belzan

Belzan is a modern bistro serving delicious food in a relaxed and friendly setting, in an unexpected location.

food and drink
Restaurant
NORD

A Scandi-inspired restaurants that celebrates Northern hospitality, with a seasonal menu made from locally-sourced ingredients.

food and drink
Liverpool
Restaurant
Mahoe Blue

Mahoe Blue is a bar and bistro that serves authentic Jamaican food in a cosy venue in South Liverpool.

music 2
City Centre
Music venue
Rough Trade

The largest of Rough Trade stores, it’s record shop, event space and concert venue in the heart of Liverpool, complete with its own gift shop

exhibition
Wirral
Gallery
Hamilton Vault Studios

A disused bank vault now conceals a unique gallery space and filming location, championing local creatives and their vision.

exhibition
Wirral
Gallery
Lake Gallery

Lake Gallery is an artist-run space in West Kirby, showcasing fine art and contemporary craft in regularly changing exhibitions.

literature
Library
Birkenhead Central Library

Birkenhead Central Library provides books and resources, and welcomes everyone to their community hub in a stunning, historic location.

library
Shop
The Reader, Calderstones Park

The Reader brings people together through a shared love of literature and their home is in the beautiful Calderstones Park in Liverpool.

bar
City Centre
Brewery
Ye Cracke

Hidden in the Georgian Quarter, Ye Cracke is a historic Liverpool pub, known for being John Lennon’s local in his student days

record shop
City Centre
Shop
81 Renshaw

81 Renshaw is a record store in Liverpool city centre, selling new and second-hand vinyl from a location with a long musical history

shop
Lark Lane
Shop
Larks

Larks is a vintage clothing and gift emporium in a bright pink shop where you’ll find a bit of everything, sprinkled with glitter.

What's on: Literature

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