Simon Armitage among line-up for Ilkley Literature Festival 2026

Simon Armitage, Jacqueline Wilson, and Kate Atkinson are among the authors speaking at the Ilkley Literature Festival in October 2026. The festival line-up also features journalist Samira Ahmed, swimmer Mark Foster, tennis coach Judy Murray, and politician Dame Margaret Hodge. Erica Morris, chief executive of Word Up North, which organizes the festival, notes that over a third of the events involve writers connected to Yorkshire. The festival, established in 1973, is the second-oldest book festival in the UK after Cheltenham. It expects 14,000 attendees this year, drawing visitors from across West Yorkshire, the country, and even abroad. The festival runs for 17 days from October 2-18. It includes historians, comedians, academics, and literary adaptations. Andrew Davies will open the festival discussing his memoir, *An Unsuitable Boy*. Dame Jacqueline Wilson will introduce her new book, *Esme Pepper*, and talk about her career, having written over 120 children’s books. Poet Simon Armitage will read from his new translation of *The Epic of Gilgamesh*. A series of book club-style events will be part of the National Year of Reading campaign. Tickets go on sale on 25 August, with priority bookings available from 19 August.