By Isle of Wight Observer
Tickets for the star-studded 2026 Isle of Wight Literary Festival are now on sale.
Leading broadcaster, Clare Balding, actress Amanda Barrie, BBC newsreader, Sophie Raworth, football commentator, Clive Tyldesley, chef and activist, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, actress Celia Imrie, and actor Larry Lamb are among the top names appearing.
Mary Portas, crime writer, Ann Cleeves, and wine expert, Helen McGinn, will also feature at the festival, held at Northwood House, Cowes, from October 8-11.
More than 40 speakers will attend, with specialist talks covering subjects from Bob Dylan’s Isle of Wight connections, and the great rivers of Europe to military strategy, and Britain’s coastal heritage.
Special events include Helen McGinn’s wine tasting, a whisky tasting with writer, Ian Buxton, the Fizz Quiz, afternoon tea with former Royal butler, Grant Harrold, a murder mystery, written by Ann Cleeves, and a musical evening with G4 performer, Mike Christie.
LitFeast will feature demonstrations from Michelin-starred chef, Chris Galvin, Great British Bake Off finalist, Miranda Gore Browne, and French pâtissier, Eric Lanlard. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Professor Tim Lang will also give talks on food and health.
Write on Wight returns to celebrate the Island’s writing community, with a writers’ Marketplace, Author! Author!, information about residencies, and the launch of The Figlet issue six.
The Festival’s schools programme will incorporate every school on the Island, with more than 20 children’s authors attending, as part of the designated Year of Reading.
Tickets and further information are available at iw.observer/literary-fest.
