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Stratford Literary Festival 2026: Big Names, Dates and Tickets

Sir Nicholas Hytner, Sir Jeremy Hunt, Greg James and Bonnie Garmus are among the speakers at Stratford Literary Festival, 29 October to 1 November at the Crowne Plaza. Some events have already sold out.

By Alex Harrington 2 min read Source: Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival
The Crowne Plaza hotel at Bridgefoot, Stratford-upon-Avon, photographed in 2011 when it was the Holiday Inn
The Crowne Plaza at Bridgefoot, Stratford, in 2011, when it was the Holiday Inn. Photo: Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0

Stratford Literary Festival returns from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November, with 81 events over four days at the Crowne Plaza hotel by the river. Speakers include Sir Nicholas Hytner, Sir Max Hastings, Sir Jeremy Hunt, Greg James and Bonnie Garmus. Most talks cost £13 to £22, and some are already sold out.

On this page
  1. Highlights, day by day
  2. For children and teenagers
  3. Tickets and getting there

Highlights, day by day

  • Thursday 29 October: Sir Max Hastings on Plunder (4.30pm, £15), farmer and former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters on Harvest (5pm, £15), and former National Theatre director Sir Nicholas Hytner on his life in theatre (6.30pm, £20). Celia Imrie and Victoria Hislop are sold out.
  • Friday 30 October: Dr Xand van Tulleken, physicist Jim Al-Khalili, novelist Joanne Harris and singer Nick Heyward, plus Sir Jeremy Hunt on Can We Be Rich Again? (6pm, £20) and Marina Litvinenko (8pm, £15).
  • Saturday 31 October: TV presenter Matt Baker on his dogs (11am, £17), Alexei Sayle, Dame Margaret Hodge, screenwriter Andrew Davies, Sir Jonathan Bate on gardens, and Catherine Heaney on her father, Seamus Heaney. Radio 1’s Greg James closes the day (8pm, £22); the festival listed only three tickets left on 17 October.
  • Sunday 1 November: a Sunday newspaper review with Stephen Sackur, Robin Niblett and Lucy Porter, plus Mary Portas, John Boyne, Greg Wise, Rob Wilkins on the Discworld books, and Lessons in Chemistry author Bonnie Garmus (5.30pm, £15). The English Musical Theatre Orchestra ends the festival with Simply Sondheim (£25). James Aldred’s talk has been cancelled.

For children and teenagers

The festival falls at the end of half-term, and nine events are for children. There’s a Warhammer games café on Friday evening (6.30pm, £10). On Saturday there are two picture-book events (10am, £9), a Playbox theatre workshop (£10), a comic-drawing workshop (£9) and Dungeons & Dragons for 11 to 17-year-olds (4pm, £10); the free Halloween craft drop-in is already full. On Sunday there’s Neill Cameron’s Donut Squad (11am, £12) and a manga drawing workshop (12.30pm, £9). For more ideas, see our October half-term guide.

Tickets and getting there

  • Book on the festival website or call the box office on 0333 666 3366. Students get about £2 off most events.
  • Where: events are at the Crowne Plaza Stratford-upon-Avon, at Bridgefoot by Clopton Bridge, a short walk from Bridge Street.
  • Parking: see our Stratford parking guide for the nearest car parks and prices.
  • Halloween: Saturday 31 October is also Halloween, so the town will be busy that evening. Our Halloween guide has what’s on.

Hairy Biker Si King is also coming on Thursday 26 November in a festival extra. The spring festival returns from 6 to 9 May 2027. Every festival event is also in our Stratford events calendar.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.

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