Hexham Book Festival 2026: Friday 24 April – Sunday 3 May
The programme for Hexham Book Festival 2026 is now on sale and open for public bookings.
2026 brings the 20th Hexham Book Festival, and with it a cause for huge gratitude.
When the festival was set up it was a wild idea and a dream – and it is now a firm marker in the events calendar for Hexham and Northumberland. We welcome people to Hexham from all over the North East and Cumbria, as well as audiences who travel to the region especially for it.
Over the years we’ve hosted hundreds of novelists, politicians, children’s writers, poets, journalists and historians – and every year, our audiences surprise us with how enthusiastic, generous and welcoming they are.
This year’s festival plays host to many authors including Alexander McCall Smith, Val McDermid, Lee Child, Andrey Kurkov and Sarah Hall. We welcome historians Tracy Borman and Antonia Senior; US Poet Jane Hirshfield; and politicians Nicola Sturgeon, Penny Mordaunt and Chris Mullin.
We have plenty of new and exciting travel and history books to tempt you; fascinating science and tech thinkers; and workshops for the aspiring scribes among you.
Booking opens to Friends on Friday 27th February and to the public on Monday 2nd March.
We can’t wait to see you.
The Hexham Book Festival team