Derby Book Festival 2026

The Derby Book Festival returns to various venues across Derby from 13 to 15 November, the city's autumn chapter of a celebration that runs in two parts across the year. It's a city-wide event, so you'll find sessions scattered across different spots rather than all under one roof, and the bill is built to be broad and intentionally diverse.

That diversity shows in the names on the programme. The festival brings together internationally renowned writers, poets, historians, politicians, broadcasters, illustrators, storytellers and musicians, so you're as likely to find a historian talking through a period of the past as you are a poet reading new work or a musician performing. The sessions are built around thought-provoking conversations, with established names sharing the stage with newer voices.

There's a deliberate balance to the whole thing, too. While the big names bring the star power, the festival keeps space for local authors and for writers taking their first steps towards publishing, so the professional end of the industry sits alongside people just starting out. It's a celebration of the written word that works across that whole range, from the household names to the local writers you might not have come across otherwise.

It runs from 13 to 15 November, with sessions held at various venues across Derby. If you've got a particular interest — whether it's poetry, history, or just a good conversation — there's usually something that fits, and since it's spread across the city, you can pick and choose the bits that work for you.