We’re back! Running 17-26 March packed with fiction, poetry, storytelling, history & chances to get involved!

In light of the cost-of-living crisis, we have decided to make all events in Litfest 2023 free to access, in-person or online.  We don’t take this decision lightly – we’re a small organisation with minimal resources, so if you can support us please consider donating

Our Big Read authors this year are Cynthia Murphy for 11-15yrs & Frank Cottrell-Boyce for 8-11yrs. Sign up & you will automatically be entered into our prize draw, when our two Big Read authors will pick three names each out of a hat for each book.

Our Poetry Collaboration project this year is “From Source to Sea” celebrating the rivers of the Northwest and especially the River Lune in all its aspects. Katie Hale will be our MC and will select up to 15 poets for our gala reading. We will open for submissions on 1 February.

This year we have four fantastic writers in residence: Sophie Anderson is our ‘Reader’ dispensing reading recommendations to children and parents at Lancaster Library. A C Grayling is our ‘Philosopher’ hosting a ‘Philosophy Cafe’ The Herbarium. Katie Hale is our ‘Poet’ and will be running a new session of New Writing North West for up and coming NW poets. Tim Birkhead is our ‘Ornithologist’ appearing at the opening day of Lancaster City Museum’s ‘Animalia’ exhibition to answer your wildlife questions.

After fantastic submissions in 2022, our Wildlife Photography Competition is back! Up to 30 photos will be selected from those entered to be shown The Storey Gallery. From these, our judges (Johnny Bean, Tim Birkhead & Jon Carter) will select the winners.

Alongside the Wildlife Photography Exhibition we’ll have two more exhibitions – Sewing Café Lancaster’s beautiful banner of the river Lune commissioned by Lancaster Arts in partnership with Stan’s Cafe Theatre, and Black History Lancaster & Lancaster City Museum’s Slavery Family Trees.

All this and more at Litfest 2023! We look forward to seeing you there!  You can browse the full programme and book events here.