Winchester Books Festival 2026
Hello and welcome to the Winchester Books Festival.
Winchester is a city steeped in literary history and famously the resting place of one of the UK’s most beloved authors, Jane Austen. Our festival is a vibrant celebration of books, authors and the power of words.
Each April, we bring together an extraordinary line up of authors for a weekend filled with inspiration, imagination and lively discussion. From captivating fiction and thought-provoking non-fiction to enchanting children’s stories, we aim for our festival to have something for everyone.
In addition to our annual festival, we also host special events throughout the year to keep the magic of books alive in Winchester.
We look forward to you joining us as we celebrate the best of books and the writers who create them.
April Festival 2026 - What's in store?
Stories come in many shapes and sizes
We are thrilled to bring an extraordinary lineup of authors, each ready to share their stories, spark your imagination, and celebrate the joy of reading.
Bring your family and friends and prepare to be inspired. The full programme is now live on our What’s On page.
TICKETS GO ON SALE – 9am, Friday 6 February
Print the programmes & timetable!
Discover who’s coming and plan your festival with our Festival Programme, Timetable and the Family Programme to save and peruse.
Interested in Family Events?
Print the Family Programme
Why not bring the whole family to hear our brilliant family-friendly authors in Winchester on 17 and 18 April?
Our authors include the fantastic Rob Biddulph – bestselling, award-winning children’s author, illustrator and YouTube sensation via his ‘Draw with Rob’ channel. Rob will be at the Festival, along with a host of other family-friendly events and authors.
We have so many treats in store for families. On Saturday 18 April our Family Zone will be a welcoming place where families can drop in and celebrate their love of books. There will be creative activities for all to enjoy. The host for family events will be BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter Fee Mak!
We can’t wait to see you!
Choose your favourites and experience the joy of the Winchester Books Festival 2026.
Winchester Books Festival and the National Year of Reading
What better way to honour the joy of reading than by joining thousands of fellow book lovers at the Winchester Books Festival.
Make sure you are signed up to our newsletter to be among the first to hear our latest updates including our plans for the National Year of Reading.
Sign up to our newsletter
Never miss a thing!
Sign up today to be the first to hear about when tickets go on sale, new events and our fantastic festival line-up.