- 31 May -30 June 2024
- FREE
- Manifesto For Essex
- Podcast Workshop
Eco-Podcast Workshop
Join Chelmsford Community Radio broadcaster Michelle Durant to develop the 2023 Essex Book Festival Eco-Casts. Looking at the 70th Anniversary of the East Coast Floods and reflecting on the climate crisis we are in now you’ll learn how to research and write content, undertake interviews and join them all together to make a big impact. For ages 11+ Read more
- FREE
- Online
- Partner Event
- Young Essex
Children & Authors’ Literary Fanfare Event
Once again, CALFE Children & Authors' Literary Fanfare 2023 will be presenting: Readings, Storytelling, Poetry, Music and Creatively engaging activities, from children's Authors of culturally diverse heritage, and from countries across the globe! Read more
- Fiction
- In Conversation
Authors in Conversation
Poet and writer, Holly Pester, and author of two poetry collections and two novels, Keiran Goddard, join us at Red Lion Books in Colchester to discuss their latest books: The Lodgers and I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning Read more
- FREE
- In partnership
- Workshop
- Young Essex
National Saturday Club – Writing & Talking
Our new Writing and Talking National Saturday Club which will be taking place every Saturday 10am-1pm from March to July. Open to all 13-16 year olds living in and around the Chelmsford area who are passionate about writing and talking. Explore zine-making, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, blogging, spoken word poetry, podcasting and more. Read more
- Partner Event
No Ordinary Day – A Red Lion Books event
On 17 April 1984 WPC Yvonne Fletcher was shot outside the Libyan embassy in London. As his friend lay dying, PC John Murray made her a promise that he would seek justice. 37 years would pass before he was able to fulfil that undertaking. John Murray will be in conversation with Matt Johnson. Read more
Get Ready to Get Booking: 4th April, 10am
The full programme for 2024 will be announced on 4th April and will go live on our Events List page. Tickets for all Essex Book Festival 2024 events will go on sale at 10.00am on Thursday 4th April. Mark the date in your diary and Get Ready to Get Booking! Read more
- Fiction
Mania
Lionel Shriver turns her piercing gaze on the policing of opinion and intellect, and imagines a world in which intellectual meritocracy is heresy. Hilarious, deadpan, scathing and at times frighteningly plausible, Mania will delight the many fans of her fiction and journalism alike. Read more
- LAUNCH EVENT
- Guided Walk
- FREE
Radical Essex Procession
Essex Book Festival is teaming up with internationally acclaimed arts organisation, Kinetika, for its Radical Procession from St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church, a key player in the Siege of Colchester (1648), to University of Essex, famed for its foundational radical innovation in the 1960s. Read more
- Guided Walk
- Partner Event
Harlow Sculpture Tour
Come take a unique guided tour with Peter Aylmer and explore the sculptures of Harlow and find out about the planning principles that Sir Frederick Gibberd brought to the town. Includes a visit to the Gibberd Gallery where you can view the exhibition ‘New Town New Art’. Read more
- LAUNCH EVENT
- For Writers
- Workshop
Radical Translation Workshop
Can a poem be translated into a picture? Or a recipe? A novel? In the world of experimental translation, the answer is “yes”. Canadian Gregory Betts and poet Philip Terry will discuss their own work with experimental translation in their recent publications. Participants will explore different experimental translation methods in this hands-on workshop. Read more
- LAUNCH EVENT
- FREE
- Workshop
- Young Essex
This Land: The Launch Pad Workshops
Learn how to make traditional ink out of ink gall gathered from 25 destinations across Essex. Explore the art of calligraphy. Try your hand at a range of traditional printing and basic book-making techniques. Read more
- Open Mic
- LAUNCH EVENT
The Tasting Menu: Poetry Open Mic returns!
lease join us for two hours of poetry from across our community. Come and hear headline poets from the University of Essex, student voices, and share and explore all things Essex poetry in this diverse and inclusive event. Read more
- Video
- LAUNCH EVENT
- Exhibition
- Performance
Woman Life Freedom
Saqi Books presents Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women's Protests in Iran. Extolling the power of art, writing and body politics this collection is a universal rallying call and a celebration of the women the regime has tried and failed to silence. Read more
- LAUNCH EVENT
- For Writers
- FREE
- SOLD OUT!
- Workshop
Beach of Dreams 25 Launch and Creative Writing Workshop
Come along and meet the Kinetika team, our flag-makers/bearers, and find out how you and/or an organisation you belong to, can get involved in the epic new nationwide Beach of Dreams 25 project. Then, take part in a special Beach of Dreams creative writing workshop led by Dr James Canton, and the Wild Writing team based in the Centre for Creative Writing at the University of Essex. Read more
- LAUNCH EVENT
Launch Event: Enlightenment
Multi award-winning and best-selling author, Festival Patron and University of Essex Chancellor, Sarah Perry, will be launching this year’s festival. Talking to our Essex Book Festival Chair, Peter Donaldson, about her highly anticipated new novel, Enlightenment. Read more
- Historical Fiction
- SOLD OUT!
The Silence Factory – Sold Out
From Bridget Collins, author of breakout sensation, number 1 bestseller and bookseller favourite The Binding, comes an inventive, spellbinding blend of speculative and historical fiction. The Silence Factory is a story of complicity, desire and corruption - a novel to lose yourself in. Read more
- CANCELLED
- Fiction
One Love – EVENT CANCELLED
From the author of Becoming Ted and The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle comes an utterly joyful novel about 20 years of love and friendship, culminating at Manchester Pride. Two men. Twenty years of friendship. One love. Read more
- Memoir
Not That I’m Bitter
Helen Lederer is in joyous flow, mixing startling self-revelation with nail-sharp observation. Occasionally painful, yet unashamedly revealing, this laugh-out-loud account offers a front row seat to Helen’s life and explores how laughter can defeat the darker moments. Read more
- Partner Event
- Workshop
Design Your Own Tote Bag
Design your own tote bag, and learn the basic principles of screen printing. You will come away with a bag that celebrates the character(s) of Essex and its diverse communities. You will be inspired by the people, heritage, and social history of the county, and use our screen printing equipment to transfer your design onto fabric. Read more
- FREE
- Performance
- Poetry
How We Live In Essex: Live Poetry Performance
Lelia Ferro's poetry performed by professional actors at the atmospheric Martello Tower. Witness the poetry coming to life in a unique collaboration between Lelia Ferro, theatre director Sofia Bagge and fantastic actors. Read more
- Listen Up!
- Fiction
Like Water Like Sea
Sometimes we swim, sometimes we float, other times we are drowning. It’s not always easy to know which is which. Set against the vibrant backdrop of London, Like Water Like Sea is an immersive novel of self-discovery, resilience, and the unifying power of love. Read more
- Listen Up!
- POSTPONED
Will You Read This, Please? – POSTPONED
Will You Read This, Please? is a frank and impactful collection of twelve stories as told to our best British writers, based on the lived experience of people who have faced mental illness in the UK. Join contributing author, Hafsa Zayyan (We Are All Birds of Uganda) for an open and honest conversation about mental health and the power of giving a platform to unheard voices. Read more
- For Writers
- FREE
- Workshop
Writing Buddy Meet Up
Whether you're a published author, or a budding writer looking to kickstart your new hobby, come and join international bestselling author Lizzie Chantree & award-winning author Chris Penhall for a morning of writing in this FREE writing buddy session at Fête Grays Yard, Chelmsford! Read more
- In Conversation
- Non-fiction
Taking the Long View – Rural
Work in the countryside ties you, soul and salary, to the land, but often those who labour in nature have the least control over what happens there… In this beautifully observed book, Rebecca Smith paints a picture of the working class lives that often go overlooked. Read more
- Partner Event
- Workshop
Experience the Beauty of Lino Cutting
Experience the beauty of lino cutting, we will guide you through the process of creating your own print inspired by the county's biodiversity. Whether you choose to depict a bird, a flower, a fox, or something else you will learn how to carve your design into the linoleum surface and then print it onto paper or fabric using our proofing press. Read more
- Historical Fiction
The Glutton
From the winner of the 2021 Desmond Elliot Prize comes a novel of desire and destruction set in Revolutionary France and inspired by a true story. avels from the South of France to Paris and beyond, through the heart of the Revolution, The Glutton is an electric, heart-stopping journey into a world of tumult, upheaval and depravity, wherein the hunger of one peasant is matched only by the insatiable demands of the people of France. Read more
- Guided Walk
- FREE
- Partner Event
A Peasant’s Pilgrimage
This six-mile walk, organised in partnership with Kinetika’s T100 Festival, commemorates the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt’s links to Fobbing, as Thurrock’s walking, talking and making festival T100 Goes Wild for 2024. Read more
- FREE
- Performance
- Poetry
How We Live In Essex: Poetry Performance Workshop
Learn to lift the words off the page and sharpen your performance techniques in this fun and friendly workshop, hosted by theatre director Sofia Bagge and a professional actor. Why not bring along a poem of your own to the workshop and perform it shortly after at the spoken word evening! Read more
- Discussion
- Essex Writers House
- FREE
Blood and Belonging Panel Discussion
Three different writers from a variety of Romany Traveller backgrounds come together for a reading and event chaired by Louise Doughty. Join us for discussion and celebration of what we have in common. Read more
- FREE
- Partner Event
- Performance
- Poetry
How We Live In Essex: Live Poetry Performance
Lelia Ferro's poetry performed by professional actors at the atmospheric Martello Tower. Witness the poetry coming to life in a unique collaboration between Lelia Ferro, theatre director Sofia Bagge and fantastic actors. Read more
- Open Mic
- FREE
- Partner Event
- Performance
- Poetry
How We Live In Essex: Exhibition Finale – Spoken Word Evening
Come and celebrate an evening of spoken word at the Jaywick Martello Tower by reading a poem of your own, or simply enjoying an evening of poetry . No need to book, just turn up and give your name! Read more
- Restless Brilliance
- Nature Writing
One Midsummer’s Day
Drawing deeply on science, history, literature and a lifetime of close observation, One Midsummer's Day is a dazzling and wide-ranging celebration of all life on Earth by one of our greatest nature writers. Read more
- CANCELLED
How Nature Keeps Time
How Nature Keeps Time discovers the natural world’s most important and intriguing patterns of time. From the lifecycle of immortal jellyfish and identifying the perfect amount of time for a ‘good sleep’, to mass extinction and the destruction of the coral reef, Helen Pilcher will tackle highly relevant and fascinating topics in this thought-provoking and deeply entertaining discussion. Read more
- Restless Brilliance
- Fiction
Maybe, Perhaps, Possibly
Joanna Glen, author of the Costa Prize shortlisted debut, The Other Half of Augusta Hope, explores her latest novel, Maybe, Perhaps, Possibly. A beautifully observed and life-affirming novel about finding yourself, and then allowing someone else to find you. Read more
- Restless Brilliance
- Guided Walk
- FREE
- In My Steps - Radical Walks in Essex
- Partner Event
- SOLD OUT!
A Walk in J.A. Baker Country – Sold Out
Join us for a walk through ‘Baker Country’ visiting sites listed in J.A. Baker’s diaries and identified in his seminal work The Peregrine (1967). Read more
- Thriller
Death on the Thames
Much-loved former politician turned award-winning author, Alan Johnson, makes a welcome return to Essex Book Festival to discuss his latest thriller, Death on the Thames. There is blood in the water. And this is just the beginning... Read more
- Opera
- Partner Event
Rapture
World premiere: Duffy’s Rapture follows the narrator as they fall in love and then lose their beloved. Noah Max’s setting rearranges the story, starting with what has been lost before working back to the height of love, almost in a dream: “You pass the moon to me, like a loving cup. I roll you the sun.” Read more
- Historical Fiction
The Grand Illusion
Syd Moore is back with a thrilling opener to a new historical fiction series set in WW2. The Grand Illusion is inspired by an event alleged to have taken place in the New Forest in the summer of 1940 - a spectacular magical ritual - “The Cone of Power” - that would be witnessed by German agents in the area and reported back to the Führer. Its goal: to avert invasion on British shores. Read more
- Partner Event
- Performance
- Young Essex
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-along songs and clumsy chaos. Don’t miss this stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem... expect to be surprised! Read more
- FREE
- Midsummer Madness
- Young Essex
Midsummer Madness Family Fun Day
Part of our Midsummer Madness Family Fun Day. Pack your picnic and make a beeline for what promises to be a magical day at Cressing Temple Barns. Free parking, free entry and lots of free activities. All welcome. Read more
- Midsummer Madness
- Workshop
- Young Essex
Top Writing Tips Workshop
Join Essex children’s and YA author, Sam Scott, for this creative writing workshop and discover your potential as a writer. Explore different writing techniques; how to create a believable character, how to build a plot arc and the importance of using varied vocabulary. Read more
- Nature Writing
- Midsummer Madness
- Workshop
- Young Essex
Singing Like Larks Nature Workshop
Join nature and folk history writer, Andrew Millham, to uncover the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk music and try your hand at Forest School skills and bug-hunting. Read more
- FREE
- Midsummer Madness
- Performance
- SOLD OUT!
- Young Essex
Fully Booked – Asha + The Troll
Asha + The Troll is a theatre performance for 5-8 year olds in which storytellers unfold a world of forests, friendship, puppetry, percussion, and… trolls! Follow Asha as she meets an unlikely friend and learns to love their differences. Read more
- Midsummer Madness
- Workshop
- Young Essex
Asha + The Troll Storytelling and Performance Workshop
Join Asha + The Troll's creative team for 45 minutes of storytelling and performance! Participants will enter the Troll's forest to create their own stories and explore elements from the show. Read more
- Nature Writing
- Midsummer Madness
- Workshop
- Young Essex
Singing Like Larks Nature Workshop
Join nature and folk history writer, Andrew Millham, to uncover the remarkable relationship between birds and traditional folk music and try your hand at Forest School skills and bug-hunting. Read more
- FREE
- Midsummer Madness
- Young Essex
Much Ado About Numbers
What's the connection between Shakespeare and Numbers? A lot, as it turns out! In this fun, interactive talk Rob Eastaway explores the surprising and entertaining ways that maths and numbers crop up in Shakespeare's plays. Read more
- History
- SOLD OUT!
Sold Out – Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials
This book explores the history of witchcraft and witch hunts through the stories of the victims, stories which have too often been overshadowed by those of the powerful men, such as King James VI and I and “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins, who hounded them. Marion Gibson will be in conversation with Syd Moore, author of The Essex Witch Museum Mysteries series. Read more
- Sci-Fi
- Thriller
- FREE
Livestream: Prophet
Watch online for free. In collaboration with Appetite Book Club and Red Lion Books. Award-winning poet and naturalist, Helen Macdonald (H is for Hawk) has collaborated with musician and writer Sin Blaché to write this dazzling, breath-taking and genre-blending science fiction thriller, Prophet. Read more
- Partner Event
- Workshop
Create a Limited Edition Risograph Print
Create a limited edition Risograph print inspired by the Essex landscape, from the waterways and woodlands to the coast and the cities. You will learn how to cut and paste shapes and colours to make your own collage, and then print it using this addictive DIY printing process. You will love the vivid colours and stunning imperfections of your artwork. Read more
- Crime Fiction
- ONLY A FEW TICKETS LEFT!
DLS Lecture: Death of a Lesser God
Winner of the Crime Writers Association Historical Dagger 2021, Vaseem Khan will be discussing his lates book, Death of a Lesser God, the fourth rip-roaring thriller in his award-winning Malabar House series. Read more
- FREE
Thurrock Local Authors Fair
Discover the rich wealth of local authors in Thurrock at this new annual opportunity to chat and talk to local writers. Discuss writing, enjoy the mini writers slam as you hear short extracts and browse their books to buy and take home. Read more
- Crime Fiction
Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?
Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? is the 25th novel from International #1 Bestselling Author and legendary crime writing duo, Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. Discover more about the husband and wife writing team and their creative processes as they discuss their latest thriller. Read more
- Crime Fiction
The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder
Miller’s winning debut exposes the dark underbelly of the antiques trade and was written in consultation with Cara's mother, international antiques expert Judith Miller (1951–2023), a regular specialist on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. Read more
- Thriller
- CANCELLED
Cancelled: The Lion Conspiracy
Join member of the House of Lords, author and life-long human rights campaigner, Peter Hain, as he delves into his gripping third thriller. The Veteran, Thandi and Mkhize are back battling to save lion prides from being killed for their claws, teeth and bones. Struggling to defeat the international criminal syndicate responsible for poaching, the team find themselves embroiled in mafia-style smuggling, illicit night flights and tense shoot-outs. Read more
- The History Books
Jobs for the Girls
A brilliant and accessible new history of women's lives in the workplace by the Sunday Times bestselling author. Jobs for the Girls is an important piece of social history which brings the British workplace in the second half of the twentieth century to life. Read more
- History
- CANCELLED
- The History Books
Cancelled – Thorns, Lust and Glory
Join Estelle Paranque, historian and acclaimed author for a fascinating new perspective on Tudor history’s most enduring story. Anne Boleyn has mesmerised the English public for centuries. Her tragic execution, orchestrated by her own husband, never ceases to intrigue. Read more
- History
- The History Books
Sing As We Go
In partnership with EA Festival The fourth and final volume in Simon Heffer's critically-acclaimed sequence of books that chart the history of Britain in the century from the accession of Queen Victoria to the outbreak of the Second World War. Read more
- Partner Event
- Performance
A Monster Calls
There’s a yew tree at the bottom of Conor’s garden, and in it there is a Monster. An elemental force, one night it appears at his window and tells him “I will tell you three stories from when I walked the earth… and when I have finished my three stories, you will tell me a fourth. And it will be the truth.” Read more