The Isle of Wight Literary Festival opens at Northwood House, Cowes, on Thursday 8th October 2026, with broadcaster Clare Balding and EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey actor Larry Lamb at the top of the bill.
More than 40 speakers will appear over four days, with the festival running until Sunday 11th October.
Big names on the bill
BBC newsreader and journalist Sophie Raworth joins football commentator Clive Tyldesley, actress Celia Imrie and Amanda Barrie, who starred in Coronation Street and the Carry On films.
Chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is also coming. Crime writer Ann Cleeves and retail expert Mary Portas are on the programme too. So is wine expert and TV presenter Helen McGinn.
Organisers say they have kept tickets affordable for all the top speakers across the four days.
Specialist talks and tastings
Beyond the headliners, the programme runs to specialist talks on Bob Dylan’s Isle of Wight connections, the great rivers of Europe, military strategy and Britain’s coastal heritage.
Helen McGinn hosts a wine tasting, while whisky writer Ian Buxton leads a new whisky tasting event.
Plus a festival favourite, the Fizz Quiz.
Afternoon tea and a murder mystery
Former royal butler Grant Harrold joins guests for Seabourn’s Ruby afternoon tea.
Ann Cleeves has written a murder mystery especially for the festival. And Cowes resident Mike Christie, of G4, performs at a musical evening.
Cooking at LitFeast
Michelin-starred chef Chris Galvin leads the demonstrations at LitFeast, the festival’s food strand.
Great British Bake Off finalist Miranda Gore Browne and French pâtissier and celebrity chef Eric Lanlard also take to the stove.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall talks about his mission to improve people’s health through food, and Professor Tim Lang sets out his proposals for fixing Britain’s food problems.
HTP, the Island education and training provider, sponsors the LitFeast professional kitchen where the demonstrations take place.
Island writers
Write on Wight, the festival’s celebration of the local writing community, is back this year, sponsored by Island communications company Robertson Foster.
Local authors can sell their books in the writers’ Marketplace and share their work at Author! Author!
Writers can also find out about residencies with Maggie Sawkins.
The Figlet launches its sixth issue, featuring Island writers and visual artists, at the festival.
Book yout tickets
Tickets and the full programme of authors and events are on the festival website.
Our thanks to Isle of Wight Literary Festival for sponsoring this event feature. They and other businesses taking paid promotion enables you to continue reading OnTheWight for free
