Nine days of conversation, culture and ideas with renowned authors and public figures across Oxford's university quarter, with a festival hub at Blackwell Hall.
The Oxford Literary Festival returns to the heart of the city from 13 to 21 March 2027, nine days of conversation, culture and ideas set against the university quarter. The main stage is the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street, but the festival spreads across the city, with a hub at Blackwell Hall in the Weston Library and further events scattered throughout the university quarter.
It's one of the world's leading literary celebrations, and the scale of it shows in the names that have come through the doors over the years. The festival has hosted Nobel, Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners, former world leaders, pioneering scientists, philosophers and writers from around the globe. Much of that international reach comes from dedicated programmes spotlighting the literature and culture of different nations — India, Africa, the USA, Ireland, Spain, Italy and China have all had their own focus. It's a good way to see writers and thinkers you might not otherwise come across, all in the same few days.
Beyond the talks, there's a dedicated bookshop and café at the hub, and if you're a ticket holder, you get 10% off in the Bodleian Libraries gift shops. There's also a strong schools outreach, with free tickets for pupils and events led by children's authors, so it's not just for the usual crowd.
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Individual event tickets start at around £14, with the headline evenings from £18. The festival runs from 13 to 21 March, with the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street as the main venue and Blackwell Hall at the Weston Library as the hub.
