Marlborough LitFest returns for its 16th year from 25-28 September with a packed programme of 45+ events for all ages during the festival weekend. Priority booking for Friends of LitFest opens on June 30 and the general box office opens on July 11. Click here for the full programme online or collect a copy from The White Horse Bookshop. For more information click here.
This year’s LitFest includes 2025 Golding Speaker Alan Hollinghurst, Brian Bilston, Mary Portas, John Suchet, Rupert Everett, Jessie Burton, Clare Chambers, Andrew Miller, Lucy Hughes-Hallet, Valentine Low, Poppy Okotcha, Olia Hercules, William Hanson and Sam Dalrymple. There is a mix of debut, established and prizewinning fiction and non-fiction authors, as well as poetry, workshops, children’s events and the annual LitFest Big Town Read.
The 2025 programme has something to tempt everyone from Jane Austen fans to lovers of biography, history, memoir, music, politics, nature and gardening. Topics range from Beethoven to Russian spies and Ukraine, from psychiatry to shopping and how to navigate modern day etiquette and our digital world.
Fiction highlights include: 2025 Golding Speaker Alan Hollinghurst, who will talk about his seventh novel, Our Evenings, which has been described by The Guardian as “the finest novel yet from one of the great writers of our time”. Acclaimed novelist Clare Chambers will talk about her latest novel Shy Creatures, while award-winning author Andrew Miller returns to LitFest with The Land in Winter “his best book yet”, according to The Guardian. Actor, writer and director Rupert Everett will talk about The American No, a collection of short stories drawn from his wealth of TV and film ideas. And this year’s Big Town Read, in association with Wiltshire Libraries, is The Night in Question, a literary whodunnit by Susan Fletcher.
LitFest champions new writers as well as established names. The annual Hiscox Debut Authors slot this year features Alice Chadwick and Tuyen Đỗ, talking about their novels Dark Like Under and Summer Rolls respectively. And local screenwriter JP Sheerin discusses his debut, Marley’s Ghosts, a lyrical murder mystery set in Wiltshire.
Non-fiction fans can feast upon poetry from Brian Bilston, dubbed both ‘the Poet Laureate of Twitter’ and ‘the Banksy of the poetry world’; or brush up on their Beethoven with broadcaster John Suchet who will talk about his latest book on the composer, In Search of Beethoven: A Personal Journey. Renowned retail expert and businesswoman Mary Portas will take audiences back to the 1990s heyday of British fashion when she revitalised a then ailing Harvey Nichols in her memoir I Shop, Therefore I Am. History buffs can join acclaimed biographer Lucy Hughes-Hallett in a 17th century romp through the life of The Scapegoat, aka the Duke of Buckingham, or examine the improbable Second World War alliance between Russia, the United States and Britain with historian Tim Bouverie.
Sam Dalrymple, son of acclaimed author William, brings us the story of the five partitions that reshaped modern South Asia in Shattered Lands,and in Strong Roots, Ukrainian-born Olia Hercules’ memoir of four generations of her family is an ode to the land of her birth, to resilience and determination, to family stories and recipes, to ideas of belonging and home.
Closer to home, celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with Professor Kathryn Sutherland, Senior Research Fellow at St Anne’s College, Oxford, as she explores objects that were part of the author’s life in Jane Austen in 41 Objects.
Jon Stock, author of six spy novels and five psychological thrillers, will be talking about his first non-fiction book, The Sleep Room, an exposé of Dr William Sargant, one of the most controversial psychiatrists in post-war Britain. And etiquette expert William Hanson will be talking his audience through his definitive guide on how to behave in all situations in his book, Just Good Manners.
LitFest has all manner of bookish events to tempt its audiences this year: author and critic Lucy Mangan will be talking about all things Bookish; the Translation Duel returns with two translators going head to head translating an extract from French-Moroccan author Leïla Slimani’s latest novel; bestselling authors Jessie Burton (The Miniaturist) and AF Steadman (Skandar series) will be in conversation about writing for both children and adults and seeing their work adapted for stage and screen; budding storytellers will learn the tricks of the trade in a Storytelling workshop with the internationally acclaimed Ashley Ramsden. New for 2025 is Prose in the Pub – turn up on the day to read up to 500 of your own words in any genre or listen to local writers share their work. Poetry lovers can join in the annual Poetry in the Pub for an open mic poetry event (submit your poems in advance to general@marlboroughlitfest.org to be read first). The Big Book Quiz returns to The Parade Cinema with some literary brain-teasers and the nimble-fingered can learn the art of creating beautiful bindings in a Bookbinding Workshop.
This year’s Children’s LitFest has events for all ages – and a new listings leaflet. Free events include: the Once Upon a Trail in Marlborough High Street (pick up a leaflet from The White Horse Bookshop in early September to follow clues hidden in the shops); Tall Tales Theatre performing at Pewsey and Marlborough Libraries; plus Story Craft Activities with Aldbourne Children’s Book Group and Storytelling at the Parade Cinema.
Our free events for primary schools include children’s authors Tom Palmer, AF Steadman and Catherine Bruton sharing their stories with more than 1,000 local primary schoolchildren in Marlborough, Pewsey, Calne and Devizes. Winning entries from our summer term story-writing competition will be on display in Marlborough.
Town Hall during the festival weekend. LitFest also hosts an author at The Big School Read at St John’s Marlborough and the Sixth Form Debate will return to the Town Hall during LitFest with students from St John’s.
Ticketed LitFest events for children include: master storyteller Ashley Ramsden recounting a French classic story; bestselling author of The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton, talking about her new children’s book, Hidden Treasure; local children’s author Carrie Sellon entertaining children aged 5+ years with her Pizza Pete series of books and encouraging her audience to design their own magical pizza; writer and illustrator of ancient myths, legend and history Thiago de Moraes introducing his new book, Old Gods New Tricks, as well as doing some live-drawing with his audience.
Mary-Vere Parr, Festival Chair, said: “We’re so excited to reveal the full LitFest programme and look forward to a stimulating and enjoyable festival. Roll on September!”
Marlborough LitFest would like to thank its 2025 sponsors for their support: founder sponsor Robert Hiscox; main event sponsor Hiscox; event sponsors: AM; Brearley & Rich; Hamilton Trust, Indigo; Mcfarlane Property; St Francis School; The Arts Society; Wansbroughs; William Golding Limited; general sponsors: Cocklebury Farm; Deacons; Haine & Smith Opticians; marlborough.news; Steele Davis.
Marlborough St Mary’s receives multiple honours in the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2025
