Chiswick Book Festival returns from 8 to 13 September 2027 for its nineteenth edition. Its main venues are around Turnham Green, with other events at locations including Chiswick House and the High Road.
The festival brings readers and writers together for fiction, history, biography, politics and other subjects. It is a volunteer-run community event organised by the PCC of St Michael & All Angels, Bedford Park, raising money for the church and reading charities.
The cards below describe events from 9–14 September 2026. That programme included Nick Clegg, Mary Portas, Ben Macintyre, Robert Hardman, Catherine Mayer and Fergal Keane, alongside a celebration of the Beatles’ links with Chiswick. Use the new programme to choose your next visit.
For a day trip, plan around your first and last venues. For an overnight stay, compare the accommodation’s actual address with your events instead of assuming every Chiswick location offers the same journey.
Quick answers
Main site: St Michael & All Angels Church, Bath Road W4 1TT; Parish Hall, Priory Avenue W4 1TX; Chiswick House Garden Pavilion, Burlington Lane W4 2RP; Theatre at the Tabard, 2 Bath Road W4 1LW. Official location
- Next festival: 8–13 September 2027.
- Main cluster: St Michael & All Angels Church and Parish Hall, near Turnham Green.
- Underground: the festival names Turnham Green on the District line for most sessions.
- Programme and tickets: use the official festival website.
A community festival with a wide programme
Chiswick’s programme brings different kinds of books into the same week. The 2026 edition ranged from espionage and royal biography to cricket, justice, retail and the internet.
That variety makes it worth reading beyond headline names. An event on an unfamiliar subject may offer a good contrast to the session that first attracted you.
Volunteers and local partners contribute to the visit. The festival’s charitable beneficiaries include St Michael & All Angels Church, Read for Good, Koestler Arts and Read Easy Ealing.
For a first visit, begin with one event you want to hear. Add another with a different focus, then leave room for the journey between venues and something to eat.
A shared visit does not require identical tickets. Companions can choose separate sessions and meet for a meal or evening event. Agree the meeting point in advance, especially when sessions finish in different buildings.
You do not need to read every book beforehand. A conversation can introduce an author or help you decide what to read next.
What’s on
Earlier 2026 conversations
Paperback Writer: Celebrating the Beatles in Chiswick
· Chiswick House Garden Pavilion
The speakers explored the Beatles’ films and Chiswick connections.
Nick Clegg: Can He Save the Internet?
· St Michael & All Angels Church
Clegg discussed the internet with Frost.
Cricket: History, Politics and Poetry
· Theatre at the Tabard
The speakers explored cricket through history, politics and poetry.
Rough Justice
· St Michael & All Angels Church
Joseph discussed justice with Crichton.
Elizabeth II and Battles Royal
· St Michael & All Angels Parish Hall, Michael Room
Hardman and Mayer discussed royal biography with Worricker.
I Shop Therefore I Am
· St Michael & All Angels Church
Portas discussed her memoir with Brocklebank.
Spies 2: Ben Macintyre on the Cold War’s Most Extraordinary Spy
· St Michael & All Angels Church
Macintyre discussed Cold War espionage with Cumming.
2026 event detailsAt 3 festivals in 2026
War, Fear… and the BBC
· St Michael & All Angels Church
Keane reflected on reporting and his career with Worricker.
Tickets and choosing your days
The published dates are Wednesday 8 to Monday 13 September 2027. Check the official website for the new programme and booking information.
The dates give a starting point for a stay, but do not yet tell you which days match your interests. Wait for the timetable before assuming that an author, subject or format will return.
If reserving accommodation early, look for conditions that suit your plans. Read the cancellation deadline and payment requirements. A room that can be changed gives more freedom when choosing events.
For a day visit, buy travel around sessions you have booked. A late conversation may change which return journey makes sense, especially if continuing beyond London.
For a longer stay, consider whether you want several days or one event. The festival’s published span does not mean you need a room for the whole period.
Use the official festival website and its linked TicketSource booking pages. Before paying, check date, time, venue and title. Make sure a saved link belongs to the edition you want.
Book ahead for the event that is the main reason for travelling. A room or travel booking does not reserve a festival seat. For a waiting list, read the organiser’s explanation instead of assuming a place is guaranteed.
The festival publishes programme alterations separately. Check those updates before travelling: a change of chair or venue can affect your visit. Read the conditions attached to your ticket and contact the box office with questions before purchase.
Choosing your events
Start by deciding what draws you to the festival. You might want a writer, a subject or several different kinds of conversation.
Once you have chosen the main event, look at what fits comfortably around it. Check venues before adding a second ticket: a short interval may work within one building but leave too little time for another journey.
A contrasting subject can make a satisfying day. Someone attracted by history might add fiction or a discussion of public life, depending on the programme.
Read the format as well as the title. A chaired conversation, film screening, guided walk and children’s session can involve different arrivals and demands on your time.
For a group, agree what matters most before buying. Some people may want a full day; others may prefer one event and a meal. Leave at least one proper break for food, finding an entrance or talking afterwards.
St Michael & All Angels Church
St Michael & All Angels Church is a principal venue. Its address is Bath Road, Chiswick, London W4 1TT.
Check that your ticket says Church rather than Parish Hall. Both names appear in the programme, and they refer to different spaces.
If you need seating or access assistance, contact the box office before booking. Explain the requirements affecting your visit so the organiser can advise about the actual event.
The festival describes a ramp for access to the platform or side chapel where required. Ask about your route into the building and seat instead of assuming every part of the visit follows the same route.
Allow time to arrive and settle in, particularly for the first event. Save the address with your booking instead of searching while travelling.
St Michael & All Angels Parish Hall
The Parish Hall is on Priory Avenue, Chiswick, London W4 1TX. The festival also describes it as its headquarters and the authors’ Green Room location.
The access page describes a slope at the entrance and a lift to the Michael Room on the first floor. Check which room your event uses.
The 2026 programme changed venues for two simultaneous sessions: Wendy Joseph’s event moved into the Church, while the royal-biography conversation moved upstairs in the Hall. Read the final details before travelling.
For a new edition, use the room and venue specified for the individual event. Ask the box office how a lift or other essential access feature will work for that session.
Other festival venues
The festival names several other locations around Chiswick:
- Boston Room at the George IV: 185 High Road, London W4 2DR.
- Chiswick Cinema: 94–96 Chiswick High Road W4 1SH.
- Theatre at the Tabard: 2 Bath Road, London W4 1LW.
- Chiswick House Garden Pavilion: Burlington Lane, London W4 2RP.
- Hogarth’s House: Hogarth Lane, Great West Road, London W4 2QN.
Check the chosen event’s address instead of automatically heading to the Church. For sessions in different parts of the area, allow an interval that fits the actual journeys.
Venue map
Festival venue map
- St Michael & All Angels Church: Bath Road, Chiswick, London W4 1TT
- Theatre at the Tabard: 2 Bath Road, Chiswick, London W4 1LW
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Check the event entrance separately.
The map marks the church and the Tabard. Use the organiser’s venue directions for the separate Parish Hall and the Garden Pavilion.
Official venue map and directions. Check the building, room and entrance for your event.
Use official directions for the venues you need. Keep individual addresses on hand, especially for a building you have not visited before.
Getting there
By train and Underground
The festival identifies Turnham Green, served by the District line, as close to most sessions.
Use a current TfL journey plan for your date and time. Check the route for the first venue instead of assuming that station arrival ends the journey.
For Chiswick House, Hogarth’s House or another venue beyond the main cluster, compare the full route to the building. The most helpful station or bus connection may depend on your starting point.
For the return, work from the finish of your last session. Include the walk to the station and onward rail connection if travelling beyond London.
Do not rely on an assumption about which lines stop at Turnham Green at every hour. Follow current service information for the actual journey.
If access affects travel, check the route with TfL and the venue separately. A suitable event space does not settle the station-to-venue journey.
Buses and moving between venues
The festival describes services along Chiswick High Road and Turnham Green Terrace. Check the route and stop for your event.
Buses may help when moving between parts of Chiswick, but compare the full journey, including walking to the stop and waiting.
For closely timed sessions, do not assume that a bus will always fit. Leave a margin or choose a less crowded sequence.
If staying locally, check the return from the last venue to accommodation. The easiest daytime journey may not be the option you prefer late in the evening.
Keep a current journey plan with tickets and recheck services before travelling. If an essential connection changes, you will have time to choose an alternative.
For a taxi, use the full venue address and agree pickup details. Contact the venue if you need advice about access from a vehicle.
By car
Check current parking restrictions before deciding to drive. General information about the area is a starting point; the conditions for your date determine where you can leave the car.
For an overnight stay, ask about parking when booking. Find out whether a space is included, charged separately or needs reserving.
Consider leaving the car at accommodation and using public transport or walking during the festival. That depends on location, venues and access needs.
For a day visit, allow time to park and reach the first event. A driving estimate does not include finding a space or the final approach.
If someone is dropping you off, agree location and collection in advance. Ask the venue when mobility or luggage affects where you can get out.
Accessibility
The festival describes accessible provision at the Church, Parish Hall, Chiswick House Garden Pavilion, George IV and Chiswick Cinema.
The Theatre at the Tabard has a narrow staircase and no lift. Check before booking if stairs would make the event unsuitable.
The Parish Hall has an entrance slope and a lift to the first-floor Michael Room. Ask about the event room, seating and route for your booking.
Carers can receive a free ticket when accompanying an attendee, arranged through the festival box office. Contact boxoffice@chiswickbookfestival.net for assistance.
Explain practical needs: step-free access, wheelchair seating, a seat position or help from a drop-off point. This gives the organiser a clearer basis for advice.
For several events, consider journeys between venues as well as each building’s access. Leave enough time for a comfortable day.
Bringing children
Check the intended audience and booking conditions for the session. A writer known for children’s books may also appear at an adult event.
The festival’s ticket information says children under 14 must be accompanied by a responsible adult, with each person holding a ticket.
Read age guidance and practical instructions before choosing. Consider session length, seating and the journey home.
For a family visit, leave a comfortable interval for food and moving between venues. A timetable for adults travelling alone may feel tighter with children.
Contact the box office before booking if you need advice about access or another requirement.
Food, books and pauses
The venue page points to restaurants, cafés, pubs and wine bars around the main venues. Check current opening and booking details for the place you choose.
For a meal between sessions, allow time to order, eat and return to the correct building. A short interval may be better used for refreshments.
Ask directly about dietary requirements needing preparation. A sample menu may not answer a specific need.
The festival describes a bookstall managed by Waterstones, with books also available at its shop at 220–226 Chiswick High Road W4 1DP.
Leave room to browse. If buying books, consider carrying them for the rest of the day and on the journey home. A pause is also time to talk about what you heard; every interval need not become another booking.
Where to stay
An overnight stay can make adjacent festival days or an evening event easier without immediately travelling beyond London. Compare accommodation by exact address and route. A High Road property, one near Turnham Green and another elsewhere in Chiswick offer different journeys.
The Chiswick stay guide compares bases and named properties. Choose the room around the programme and your needs, including access, parking and expected arrival.
For a return to the room between sessions, leave time for both journeys and the break. Confirm check-in and luggage details before relying on them.
Plan your days
The festival includes a Chiswick writers’ trail and material about local writers and books. Follow current Writers Trail links from its website if you want to add a literary walk.
Keep extra activities separate from booked sessions. Leave enough room for the festival itself, especially when an event takes you to a different venue.
Choose the session that gives you a reason to come, then one contrasting event if you want a fuller day. Check both venues, leave a meal break and settle the return.
Before travelling, save tickets, addresses and access correspondence. Read programme updates once more. A practical plan leaves you free to follow the conversations and discover a book you had not expected to take home.
FAQs
What are the next dates?
Chiswick Book Festival runs from 8 to 13 September 2027. The cards above are from 9–14 September 2026.
Which station is near the main venues?
The festival names Turnham Green on the District line for most sessions. Check TfL for your actual venue, travel date and final return.
Is the Tabard step-free?
The festival describes a narrow staircase and no lift. Contact the box office before booking if this affects your visit or a companion’s access needs.
Can you go to Chiswick Book Festival without a ticket?
The festival describes a narrow staircase and no lift. Contact the box office before booking if this affects your visit or a companion’s access needs.
How far ahead should I book a room for Chiswick Book Festival?
Check full price, room type, payment terms and cancellation deadline. Confirm the current property name and address, especially when older material uses an earlier name. Compare the stay advice.
Sources
Checked 28 October 2026: