Lancaster Litfest

Lancaster’s 45th Annual Literature Festival returns from the 15-25 March 2024, with a packed programme of author events, participation opportunities and drop-in activities.

 

The popular hybrid format is back, with events to attend in-person at our various Lancaster venues or view online – and again year all tickets are free with a suggestion donation of £5. Alternatively, opt to join our new Friends scheme for a range of fantastic benefits!

This year the festival’s theme is ‘Connected Histories’ exploring the ways in which our lives are shaped by the innovations – and the conflicts – of the past, fiction, illustration, nature, poetry, history, ideas, storytelling, and children’s books.

 

Explore how Lancaster’s diverse societies were involved in the transatlantic trade in commodities – mahogany and sugar coming in, felt and cotton going out – together with Lancaster Black History Group, and Lancaster University.

You can go on a treasure hunt of a more mystical kind – looking for stories of Lancaster Lore and searching for witches, boggarts and ghosts!

 

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved – submit your photos to The Litfest North-West Landscape and Wildlife Photography Exhibition 2024 and your poems on the theme of ‘histories’ to the Digital Poetry Map.

Children are not left out – our Children’s Festival this features bounce and rhyme time; storytelling and craft activities; folk tales, fairy tales and wizard wordery.

Litfest invites readers young and old to join in the Big Read! This year’s book is Tyger written by S.F. Said and illustrated by Dave McKean. This alluring tale explores friendship, loyalty and bravery as two children must save the mythical tyger on whose survival the fate of their world rests.

 

Plus – Sathnam Sanghera joins us for the first Lancaster History Lecture to discuss How British Imperialism Has Shaped the Globe, our ever-popular Poetry Weekend returns, and Dominic Kelly closes the festival with his inimitable magical storytelling!

For more information about what’s on, how to book and how to donate, visit www.litfest.org