Women in Horror Weekend 2026

Women in Horror Weekend 2026 takes over Waterstones on Bridlesmith Gate from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November, a three-day festival celebrating women writers in horror. It's a mix of author talks, a film screening, tarot readings, and spooky goody bags from Lush Nottingham, put together with local partners Lush, Fortune and Glory Film Club, and the Nottingham Horror Collective.

Friday kicks off with an interactive screening of The Babadook (2014) by Fortune and Glory Film Club, followed by a panel chaired by Hayley Sleigh. There's also a psychic workshop with Kerry Ward. Saturday is a full day of panels and conversations: Houses of Horror brings together Eleanor Crewes, Lauren Mooney, Jennifer Thorne and Rose Wilding; Nuzo Onoh appears in conversation; Strange Appetites features Ellie Graves and Katie Huttlestone; and Lucie McKnight Hardy also has her own conversation. Sunday morning starts with an exclusive brunch hosted by 3AM Books, Penguin RandomHouse's horror imprint, which is a separate, very limited session that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the imprint and a first glimpse at the horror titles it's due to publish in 2027. The rest of the day continues with the Toil and Trouble panel (Laura Evans, Cathryn Kemp and Aimee MacDonald), Ghostly Encounters (Avery Curran, Heather Davey, Daisy Stephens), Laura Purcell in conversation, and Folktales and Fables (Amy Goldsmith, Vanessa Santos, Mahsuda Snaith and Sonya Vatomsky).

It's a long weekend, so you can pick and choose. Friday runs 6:30–9:30pm, Saturday 10am–9:30pm, and Sunday 9am–8:45pm. Tickets are £18 for the weekend (Saturday and Sunday), £10 for Saturday alone, and £10 for Sunday. Friday's psychic workshop is £6 and the film screening is £5.