The Cheltenham Literature Festival is back and bigger than ever for 2023! 

It's back and is set to be another FANTASTIC year! This highly anticipated event will bring you a plethora of authors, artists and guests for a full week of events and talks - not to mention the Free line-up!
Check out the family line-up below and head to the Literature Website for the full line-up 

6th October - 15th October

The Family Line-Up:
Adam Rutherford | Alex Willmore | Amara Sage | Beatrice Blue | Benji Davies  Bob and Roberta Smith | David Walliams | Derek Landy | Dr Ranj | Elle McNicoll | Esme Higgs  Helen Rutter | Holly Bourne | Holly Jackson | Holly Smale | Lucy Bannerman Jacqueline Wilson | Jasbinder Balan | Jennifer Killick | Joseph Coelho | Liz Pichon Maddie Moate | Martin Brown | Matt Lucas | Maz Evans | Michelle Elman | Nadine Aisha Jassat  Dapo Adeola | P.J. Holden | Paul Westmoreland | Philip Reeve | Robert Muchamore S.F. Said | Sathnam Sanghera | Sharna Jackson | Smriti Halls | Yeva Skalietska

The Wild Wood in the Festival Village in Montpellier Gardens has plenty of free family-friendly activities, including storytelling from around the world in Story Shack, Halloween-themed spook-tacular drawing sessions, make-and-take craft sessions in The Den and picnic area, meet and greets with favourite costumed book characters, brainteasers and puzzles, tree-tastic discoveries with the Woodland Trust and a news quiz courtesy of The Week Junior Global News Trail with a free copy of the magazine for everyone who completes it.

The Huddle is the place to hear readings and performances from local writers and musicians, plus lots of events dedicated to the Festival’s ‘Read the World’ theme. 

The Voicebox will see a takeover led by the Black British Book Festival and the launch of a new policy initiative by women and girls’ rights campaign group This Ends Now. There will also be a series of events spotlighting Cheltenham Festivals’ year-round work with young people. The full programme will be announced 8 September. To explore the literary landscape of the Festival town more broadly, this year there will be a walking tour of local bookshops spanning beloved independently run spaces, and second-hand stores. Lit Crawl is also back, with a riotous evening of free events celebrating written and spoken word as part of Cheltenham Festivals’ Spotlight talent development programme. It features a diverse roster of events with up-and-coming authors, performers, poets and comedians in exciting formats and spaces. The full programme will be announced 8 September.  

Browse the Literature Festival Programme of free events and activities here

There's so much to see and do! With new additions and old favourites, there's something for everyone! Find out more and browse individual events on the Cheltenham Festivals website here.

"The very first proper literature festival I’ve ever been to, and definitely one of my all-time favourites." Jacqueline Wilson