A Bath literature trip can combine a favourite writer with a spring city break. The festival usually runs in May; exact 2027 dates and speakers have not been published on the official programme page. Below are six conversations from the completed edition, giving you different strands of the reading and discussion while you plan the next visit.
Confirmed for 2027
The 2027 programme hasn’t been announced yet.
2026 headline events
These events took place in 2026.
Jane Harper
· Guildhall
Jane Harper discussed Last One Out, a crime novel uncovering the truth behind a disappearance in a small Australian town.
2026 event detailsAt 5 festivals in 2026
The Meaning of Home
· Guildhall
Patrick Gale joined Rachel Joyce to discuss Love Lane, tracing home and family across three generations shaped by war and trauma.
2026 event detailsAt 5 festivals in 2026
Joanna Cannon
· Guildhall
Joanna Cannon talked with Clare Chambers about The Unlikely Visitor, her new novel following The Trouble With Goats and Sheep.
Douglas Stuart
· Guildhall
Douglas Stuart joined Max Porter to discuss John of John, exploring family expectations, love and survival in a Hebridean community.
2026 event detailsAt 3 festivals in 2026
Re-Telling Stories
· St Swithin’s Church
Saara El-Arifi and Rosie Hewlett explored how retelling myths and legends could reshape ancient stories around contemporary truths.
Master of Mystery Anthony Horowitz
· Guildhall
Anthony Horowitz discussed A Deadly Episode with Joe Haddow, exploring his crime series featuring the investigator Daniel Hawthorne.
2026 event detailsAt 2 festivals in 2026
Explore the guide’s 2026 programme highlights.
Book your room first
Choosing the town and dates can come before choosing individual talks. If you reserve at that stage, compare the actual rate’s payment and cancellation conditions and keep its deadline with your festival plans. Select your travel dates and guests once the visit is settled.
Where to stay for Bath Literature Festival · Bath Literature Festival visitor guide
Authors who appeared in 2026
Anthony Horowitz, Jane Harper, Patrick Gale, Douglas Stuart, Jonathan Freedland, Tom Holland.
Plan the festival visit
Compare Bath Spa station with the event venues when the programme appears. A central room, a Walcot address and a Bathwick stay can give you different arrival and daily journeys. If you want a break between talks, decide whether you would return to the room or prefer to remain near the next venue. Ask about luggage storage before relying on an early arrival or late collection. Once you have chosen sessions, use their actual buildings to check the reservation again before its cancellation deadline. The guide and stay page below bring the routes and area comparisons together.