• Essex Book Festival
  • 28 May -30 June 2025
  • Accessibility
    • Greyscale
    • High Contrast
    • Font Size
    • Colour Options
    • Link Underline
  • Basket
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Download Brochure
  • Home
  • About
    • About us
    • Board
    • Advisers to the Board
    • The Festival Team
    • Volunteering
    • Partners
    • Our Vision
    • Policies
  • Events
    • Events List
    • How to Book
  • News
  • Resources
    • Beach of Dreams
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Listen
    • Blog
    • Gallery
    • Independent Bookshops in Essex
    • Manifesto For Essex
  • Contact
  • Menu
  • Winner of The Climate Fiction Prize 2025!

  • Launch Event: Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri

  • Bestselling historical novelist, Alison Weir, at Chelmsford Cathedral

  • Diane Abbott

    ‘Mother of the House’ The Right Honourable Diane Abbott MP

  • Shami Chakrabarti – Why human rights matter

Click here

A Criminally Good Day

Radical Islands

Person standing at microphone reading from a notepad in front of a seated audience

Essex Writers House

Photo of the outside of Layer Marney Tower

The History Books

Photo of church door at St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church

Spirits, Salons & Sanctuary

Photo of the garden at The Minories

A Day on the Wild Side

Photo of adult and child outdoors at a low table covered with mud cakes and mud pies

Festival Family Fun

2025 Festival Brochure

Latest News

Nature and the Environment Playing Leading Role This June

Posted on May 20th, 2025

Nature and the Environment are playing a leading role in this year’s Essex Book Festival. As such, we’re absolutely delighted to be hosting an author event with the 1st Winner of the Climate Fiction Prize launched at Hay Festival last June. And we’re even more delighted that the winning writer – Abi Daré – Read more

JOIN THE ART:UP!

Posted on May 13th, 2025

Art:UP! Culture Accelerator Open Mic and Poetry Reading Come join us for an evening of creativity and expression at Art Exchange on 19th June. Essex Book Festival, University of Essex, Waxes Lyrical Chelmsford and Poetry Plus invite you to JOIN THE ART:UP – a new collaborative poetry project. A year of Read more

  • Newsletter

  • Back to top

    Key Partners

    Arts Council England
    Chelmsford City Council
    Colchester City Council
    Essex County Council
    Thurrock Council
    University of Essex
    Essex Library Service

    © 2025 Essex Book Festival. Charity no. 1143727. Privacy Policy

    Designed by graftcollective.com

    • Home
    • About
      • About us
      • Board
      • Advisers to the Board
      • The Festival Team
      • Volunteering
      • Partners
      • Our Vision
      • Policies
    • Events
      • Events List
      • How to Book
    • News
    • Resources
      • Beach of Dreams
      • Videos
      • Podcasts
      • Listen
      • Blog
      • Gallery
      • Independent Bookshops in Essex
      • Manifesto For Essex
    • Contact