Blog

This review was written by a member of the Ilkley Literature Festival review team. The Review Team take part in a special reviewing workshop at the start of the Festival before attending Festival events. Gyles Brandreth is an Ilkley Literature Festival favourite. His capacity to talk wittily and engagingly for…more

This review was written by a member of the Ilkley Literature Festival review team. The Review Team take part in a special reviewing workshop at the start of the Festival before attending Festival events. Tim Marshall has a beard. He also has a long pointy stick and likes to prod…more

This review was written by a member of the Ilkley Literature Festival review team. The Review Team take part in a special reviewing workshop at the start of the Festival before attending Festival events. My first experience of this event was a bit like that of the character in the…more

Discover exciting children’s books (and lots of great shops) as you search Ilkley for books hidden in shop windows! Find all the books on the trail and you could win fantastic prizes. How to take part in the Book Trail: Collect an entry form from Festival venues, the Grove Bookshop,…more

This review was written by a member of the Ilkley Literature Festival review team. The Review Team take part in a special reviewing workshop at the start of the Festival before attending Festival events. Pies, not surprisingly, were mentioned often during our time with the loquacious and wonderfully entertaining Stuart…more

Festival Poet in Residence Zaffar Kunial tells us what he is looking forward to seeing at the Festival. Looking through the festival brochure I felt a bit like a kid leafing through the ‘telly pages’ of the Radio Times Christmas edition. There are lots of great poets appearing at Ilkley…more

Along with a huge range of interviews, readings and workshops, the Festival features some brilliant performances at this year’s Festival and here are 5 of the best: 1. Nine Lives Nine Lives is a one man show starring Lladel Bryant (Chicken Shop Shakespeare) and written by former ILF Apprentice-Poet-in-Residence Zodwa…more

We have the perfect event for fans of the Great British Bake Off and all things baked: Quinntessential Baking with Frances Quinn and Howard Middleton! Saturday 10 October 11am at Kings Hall, Ilkley £14/12Book your tickets now! 5 reasons why this event is a must for all fans of the…more

This week saw the start of an exciting new schools project led by the Festival in partnership with upcoming theatre company Chicken Shop Shakespeare. Project Coordinator Jenny Harris tells us more about what’s involved. Chicken Shop Shakespeare grew out of young Leeds-based actors Shane Welsh and Lladel Bryant’s love of…more

Margaret Mulligan, author of Katy Parker and the House that Cried, tells us how attending an Ilkley Literature Festival masterclass helped to get her first book published. After almost three years of being rejected outright by practically every agent and publisher listed in The Writers’ and Artists’ Year Book, it…more