Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Isle of Wight Literary Festival, with Clare Balding, Amanda Barrie, Sophie Raworth, Clive Tyldesley, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Celia Imrie and Larry Lamb among the stars heading to Cowes.
The 4-day festival will return to Northwood House from 8th October until 11th October, bringing more than 40 speakers to the Isle of Wight.
Also appearing will be Queen of Shops star Mary Portas, crime writer Ann Cleeves and wine expert and television personality Helen McGinn.
Organisers say tickets have been kept affordable across the programme, which combines appearances from well-known broadcasters, actors and authors with specialist talks and special events.
Topics will range from Bob Dylan’s Isle of Wight connections and the great rivers of Europe to military strategy and Britain’s coastal heritage.
Helen McGinn will return with her popular wine tasting, while whisky writer Ian Buxton will lead a new whisky tasting event.
Other events include the Festival favourite Fizz Quiz, Seabourn’s Ruby afternoon tea with former Royal butler Grant Harrold and a murder mystery written especially for the Festival by Ann Cleeves.
Cowes resident and G4 performer Mike Christie will also host a musical evening.
LitFeast will return with demonstrations from Michelin-starred chef Chris Galvin, Great British Bake Off finalist Miranda Gore Browne and French pâtissier and celebrity chef Eric Lanlard.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will discuss his mission to improve people’s health through food, while Professor Tim Lang will offer solutions to Britain’s food problems.
The demonstrations will take place in the LitFeast professional kitchen, sponsored by Isle of Wight education and training provider HTP.
Write on Wight will also return to celebrate the Isle of Wight’s writing community.
Sponsored by communications company Robertson Foster, the programme will give authors the opportunity to sell books in the writers’ Marketplace, share their work through Author! Author! and learn about residencies with Maggie Sawkins.
The Festival will also host the launch of issue 6 of The Figlet, showcasing Isle of Wight writers, artists and photographers.
This year’s schools programme will incorporate every school on the Isle of Wight, with more than 20 children’s authors set to take part during the designated Year of Reading.
Tickets and further details about authors and special events can be found at www.isleofwightliteraryfestival.com.
