Event Details
3–19 October 2025
Venues across Ilkley
Pioneers in word power since 1973. Word Up North programmes the annual Ilkley Literature Festival, the longest-running literature festival in the north.
Ilkley Literature Festival has been bringing together the very best writers of contemporary fiction, non-fiction and poetry with book-loving audiences for over 50 years. Every autumn, we are joined by 14,000 readers and 100+ writers in creating conversations, tackling tricky topics and encouraging exploration.
This year’s programme features Hugh Bonneville, Mary Portas, Jung Chang, Michael Palin, Alan Davies, Nick Clegg, Lady Hale, Sabrina Ghayour, Irvine Welsh and many more. Explore the programme and book your tickets now!