First Headliners Revealed For Isle Of Wight Story Festival 2026

Organisers of the Isle of Wight Story Festival have unveiled the first names on the lineup for 2026 — including popular Island author Kieran Larwood and award-winning writer Lucy Strange.

Returning to Quay Arts in Newport over February half term, the festival will run from Thursday 19 to Saturday 21 February.

Isle of Wight-born Kieran Larwood, best known for his Podkin One-Ear and Dungeon Runners fantasy series, will once again take to the stage to talk about his writing career.

Kieran, who won the Blue Peter Best Story Award in 2017, remains a festival favourite.

Also confirmed is Lucy Strange, author of Our Castle by the Sea and The Island at the Edge of Night.

Lucy, who has been shortlisted for both the Waterstones Book Prize and the Carnegie Medal, will share insights into her creative process and the inspiration behind her stories.

Adding a touch of theatre, Cornwall’s Coppice Theatre will perform How to Catch a Book Witch — a family-friendly show celebrating the magic of libraries through live music, puppetry, key-word signing and captions.

Festival committee member Nigel Cox said:

“We’re so excited to be launching the 2026 Isle of Wight Story Festival with Blue Peter Award-winning author Kieran Larwood and a festival-first appearance from Lucy Strange.

"It’s going to be a bumper year for Newport’s own celebration of stories in all forms.”

Tickets for the IW Story Festival 2026 go on sale in December, with more big names set to be announced soon.