Ilkley Literature Festival
Next: Friday, 3 October 2025
Runs until Sunday, 19 October 2025 (See all dates)
- Time
- 19:00 - 21:00
- Price
- Ticket prices vary
The north’s longest-running literary festival returns for its 52nd year.
Politicians, national treasures, journalists, novelists, historians, comedians, and academics head to the spa town across 17 packed days for in-depth discussions, debates, and workshops.
Headliners & highlights include: Jung Chang, Michael Palin, Mary Portas, Alan Davies, Jay Rayner, Hugh Bonneville, Nick Clegg, Ruby Tandoh, Simon Armitage, Lady Hale, Rachel Joyce, and Irvine Welsh.
More Information (Your Ilkley is not responsible for external websites)
Download a PDF of this year’s programme here.
Ilkley is renowned for showcasing cutting edge poetry since its inaugural festival in 1973, which was opened by W.H. Auden. Poetry highlights this year include readings from Poet Laureate, Yorkshire’s Simon Armitage, a New Northern Poets showcase, and a reimagining of Tony Harrison’s controversial poem ‘V’ 40 years on, from poets including Andrew McMillan and Malika Booker.
2025’s festival themes include: Talking Politics, Doing Justice, The Dark Side of the Internet, Novel Ideas, and In Verse: The Rising of the North. With events covering everything from folklore to fermentation, geology to geopolitics, and cavapoos to comedy, the festival celebrates the power of ideas and the written word.
Venues include: King's Hall, All Saints Church, Ilkley Playhouse and Ilkley Grammar School.
IN PERSON | WORKSHOPS | DIGITAL | LIVE STREAM EVENTS
Dates
The event runs from 19:00 to 21:00 on the following dates.
Select a date to add this event to your calendar app.
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