Isle Of Wight Literary Festival Announces Special Events Programme For 2025

It’s not only about books!

That’s the message from the Isle of Wight Literary Festival as it announces its special events programme for 2025.

From a music, poetry and spoken word festival finale featuring renowned actress Rula

Lenska, to wine tasting with Helen McGinn, there are a wide range of events which bring a

little extra to the festival.

And, for the budding authors among us, there are all sorts of literary delights including the

return of the Write on Wight Island authors segment and a writing workshop hosted by the

Open University.

This year’s festival, based at Northwood House in Cowes, runs from October 9-12, with

Dame Prue Leith, Lord Michael Heseltine, Helen Lederer, John Suchet, Sue Barker, Lady

Anne Glenconner and Joanne Harris among the big-name speakers.

But, as ever, there is more to the festival than the headliners.

On the Tuesday before the main festival starts (October 7) the IW Book Awards will be

announced at a lunch at the Island Sailing Club, organised by Medina Publishing’s Paul

Armfield.

The awards recognise books published by Island authors and books that draw attention to the beauty and the heritage of the Island.

On the opening day of the festival, top wine expert and author Helen McGinn will be back for

another of her popular wine tastings and on that evening the literary Fizz Quiz will be held at

the Island Sailing Club.

Friday will see Write on Wight welcome around 40 Island authors to Northwood House for

events including: an authors’ marketplace, poetry session, myth making workshop, the

popular Author! Author! pitching event, which gives writers the chance to sell their ideas, and the writers’ panel.

The other event for budding writers is Walking the Edge/Writing the Island, Led by Nicola J.

Watson and Emily Bullock, of the Open University.

The two-hour creative writing workshop, which takes place on Friday, explores walking, memory and identity along the south coast of the Isle of Wight.

For those with a tune in their hearts, Saturday sees a musical evening organised by Medina

Bookshop manager and much-loved Island musician, Paul Armfield.

The Festival Finale on the Sunday will be a music, spoken word and poetry evening with

Rula Lenska, Jeremy Robson and jazz singer Norma Winstone, along with a trio of well-

known jazz musicians.

And there is a bit of nautical history thrown in, with Royal Yacht Squadron Tours twice a day

throughout the four days of the festival.

Maggie Ankers, IW Literary Festival chairman, said:

“Although the author sessions are at the heart of our event, having a wide range of sessions is important to us.

“Involving Island writers is so important to us, so the Write on Wight and Open University events bring the community to us.”

Tickets for all festival events go on sale later this month (August).