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The Festival: 6 - 14 November 2026 | Tickets: 01308 424901|bridport.tic@bridport-tc.gov.uk
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    Event 61 | Tony Parsons | Man and Dog

    £16.50

    Tony Parsons - Man and Dog - A Love Story

    “Nobody will ever love you like a dog”: Tony Parsons wrote a newspaper column about the loss of his beloved spaniel, Stan, a bandy-legged bundle of joy, loyalty and bright red fur, the story went viral on the internet. Now it has inspired this deeply affecting and very funny memoir. Set against the backdrop of Tony’s life in Hampstead and daily walks across the Heath – with its rolling hills, ponds and cast of star-studded, dog-walking neighbours – Man and Dog brilliantly brings to life the eternal love affair between humans and their canine companions. He talks to Jo Willett. Tony Parsons is an award-winning journalist and bestselling novelist. His multi-million selling novel Man and Boy won the British Book of the Year prize in 2000.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 12 noon
    Where: Electric Palace
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 62 | Rebecca Perry | May We Feed the King?

    £12.00

    Rebecca Perry - May We Feed the King?

    Winner of the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2026 and longlisted for the Booker Prize, Rebecca Perry is an impressively original new voice. An intricate exploration of how we construct history, May We Feed the King tells the story of a 21st-century curator at a medieval palace who is drawn deeper and deeper into the life of its former occupants, a reluctant ruler and the courtiers who scheme to replace him. Why is she turning to the past to hide from her present? And what drives a monarch to risk the future of their kingdom? This playful meditation on history and storytelling has become one of the most talked about novels of the year. Chaired by Adrian Turpin.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 12 noon
    Where: Bull Ballroom
    Sponsored by: Deirdre & Howard Coates
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 63 | Zakia Sewell | Finding Albion

    £12.00

    Zakia Sewell - Finding Albion - Myth, Folklore and the Quest for a Hidden Britain

    Zakia Sewell is on a quest for another Britain. Criss-crossing our island, the acclaimed broadcaster is seeking out a story that transcends divisive national myths and symbols. It’s to be found in otherworldly folk songs, ancient legends, Celtic rites and the stone circles punctuating our landscape. Her journey begins at the spring equinox in Glastonbury, where she meets neopagans reclaiming pre-Christian traditions. At Notting Hill Carnival, she hears cultural echoes passed along the slave routes from the Caribbean, and in a Cornish winter she asks if today’s new folk revival could unite a divided country. How might a mythical past inspire a brighter national future? Women’s Prize longlisted.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 1.30 pm
    Where: Bridport Arts Centre
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 64 | Paul Mason | Reds

    £14.00

    Paul Mason - Reds - A Global History of Communism

    The former Channel 4 News reporter talks to journalist Paul Lashmar about the global history of communism. Reds traces the history of communist ideas through the ancient world, and chronicles the rise of 19th-century anti-capitalist movements. Crucially, it asks how the idealism of millions led to mass murder and repression. Using testimonies from perpetrators and victims, Mason offers a terrifying account of how a 20th-century political experiment became a totalitarian nightmare. He also has a warning for the present. Western democracies lack self-belief: millions in the global south see China’s authoritarian development model as a viable alternative. Is history destined to repeat itself?

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 3.00 pm
    Where: Bridport Arts Centre
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 65 | Sarah Raven | A Year of Cut Flowers

    £16.50

    Sarah Raven - A Year of Cut Flowers - A Life of Growing and Arranging for All Seasons

    Teacher, broadcaster and nurserywoman, Sarah Raven is a pioneer of productive, beautiful gardening. Drawing on decades of experimentation at Perch Hill, she has transformed how we think about growing flowers and food together. Sarah shares the secrets behind year-round success, from sowing and selecting high-performing plants to designing gardens that overflow with scent, structure and seasonal interest. Join her for an inspiring and informative session that will change the way you garden, whether your patch is a windowsill or an acre – and send you home brimming with ideas.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 4.30 pm
    Where: Electric Palace
    Sponsored by: Emily & Richard Cave
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 66 | Tom Cox | Everything Will Swallow You

    £12.00

    Tom Cox - Everything Will Swallow You

    Eric and Carl live in Dorset in a small white cottage under the shadow of a cliff. Eric sells old records. Carl – who one might easily mistake for a dog – cooks, cleans and crochets. Tom Cox’s third novel is the story of their friendship. Wandering through south-west England, they encounter local folklore and hints of a looming apocalypse. All the while, Carl’s true nature remains a closely guarded secret. One of our most original novelists talks to Joanna Quinn about landscape, love and the lore of the land. He’ll also read from his new short-story collection. Tom Cox’s 16 books include Villager, the Sunday Times bestseller The Good, The Bad and the Furry and the Wainwright Prize-longlisted 21st-Century Yokel.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 4.30 pm
    Where: Bull Ballroom
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 67 | Jonathan Freedland | The Traitors Circle

    £16.50

    Jonathan Freedland - The Traitors Circle - The Rebels Against the Nazis and the Spy Who Betrayed Them

    Berlin, 1943. A group of high-society anti-Nazi dissenters gather for a tea party one late summer afternoon. They form a circle of unlikely rebels, drawn from Germany’s elite: two countesses, a diplomat, an intelligence officer and a pioneering headmistress. What they don’t know is that someone at the table is poised to reveal their secrets to the Third Reich’s most ruthless detective. Award-winning author Jonathan Freedland discusses his remarkable study of heroism. He asks a timely question: what does it take to risk everything and stand up to tyranny?

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 6.30 pm
    Where: Electric Palace
    Sponsored by: Andy & Deborah Gray
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 68 | The Bookshop Band | Folklore (Not Taylor’s Version)

    £15.00

    The Bookshop Band - Folklore (Not Taylor’s Version)

    Join us for an end-of-festival celebration with Beth Porter and Ben Please of The Bookshop Band. Since they began playing at Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath, the playful folk duo have released 13 book-inspired albums, collaborating with more than 100 authors including Philip Pullman, Rachel Joyce, Robert Macfarlane and Margaret Attwood, who has described their work as “an inspiration”. Their most recent album, Emerge, Return and an EP of three songs about the infamous Oz magazine have been produced by Pete Townsend of The Who. They’ll be loosely exploring one of the themes of this year’s festival, our shared folklore. “Achingly good”, New York Times. “Just delightful”, BBC Radio 2.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Saturday 14 November 2026 @ 8.00 pm
    Where: Oxenbury's Yard
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 69 | Alice Oswald | Rhapsody

    £14.00

    Alice Oswald - Rhapsody - A Manifesto

    Join the brilliant Alice Oswald as she goes in search of poetry in its original, wildest form, before it was written down and belonged to any single voice. Rhapsody: A Manifesto begins as an attempt to “interview” Homer and becomes a thrilling exploration of an anonymous tradition that brings together singers, storytellers, mourners, nightingales and rivers. Oswald invites us to listen to the voices that shape us, and to recognise poetry as a communal and essential human inheritance. The result is a resounding manifesto for the oral tradition. Alice Oswald has been awarded the TS Eliot Prize, Forward Poetry Prize, Griffin Poetry Prize and Costa Poetry Award. She was Oxford Professor of Poetry 2019-2024.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Thursday 3 December @ 7.30 pm
    Where: Bridport Arts Centre
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 70 | Shaun Bythell | Diaries of a Bookseller

    £10.00

    Shaun Bythell - Diaries of a Bookseller

    The Bookshop in Wigtown is a bookworm’s paradise: Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshop, a beautiful rural setting, miles of shelving and a log fire. You’d think that, after 25 years at the helm, its owner, Shaun Bythell, would be used to the customers. Don’t get him wrong, there are some good ones among the porn-hunters, mystics, hagglers and drifters on day-release. But, it’s fair to say, all human life is here. After a four year absence, the Sunday Times bestselling diarist returns with the latest journal, described by Alan Bennett as “gentle, funny and soothing”. He’ll be talking about the joy of shooting Kindles and eavesdropping on customers, and why the sitcom Black Books is actually a documentary.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Thursday 21 January 2027 @ 6.30 pm
    Where: Bull Ballroom
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event 71 | Ali Millar | Arvon Workshop

    £50.00

    Ali Millar - Arvon Workshop - From Life to Page 

    How do you begin to tell a story from life and make the personal universal? How do you keep going? Memorist and novelist Ali Millar (The Last Days) will teach you how to write your lived experience. Covering the mechanics of story – such as plot and character – and some of the knottier elements of life writing, including what is truth and the ethics of writing about other people. You’ll leave the workshop enthused and with new perspectives. Suitable for all levels of writer. Founded in 1968, Arvon is the UK’s leading creative-writing charity, offering courses and events taught by acclaimed writers at its historic writing houses, online and, as here, in the community. Grants and concessions are available for its longer courses. 150 min.

    Priority booking opens Friday 28 August, while general booking opens on Friday 11 September. Become a Friend today and enjoy two weeks of priority booking, giving you first access to the programme. Contact TIC Bridport to book tickets - 01308 424901.
    When: Friday 12 March 2027 @ 11 am
    Where: Human Nature
    PRIORITY BOOKING Details

  • Event C01 | Vivian French | Early Bird Stories | Ages 0-5 | FREE

    £0.00

    Vivian French - Early Bird Stories - Ages 0-5

    Start the day with stories and rhymes for pre-schoolers from Vivian French, author of the wildly popular Tales from the Five Kingdoms series among 300 other books! 30 min.

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 9.30 am
    Where: Lyric Theatre
    BOOK TICKETS Details

  • Event C02 | Jasbinder Bilan | Girl with a Sabretooth Tiger | Ages 8+

    £3.00

    Jasbinder Bilan - Girl with a Sabretooth Tiger - Ages 8+

    Join the Costa Children’s Book Award-winner on a magical quest through prehistoricEngland. When Swallow’s baby sister falls ill, she begins a dangerous trek to find the cure: a precious jade stone. Her companion? A sabretooth tiger spirit animal. Perfect for fans of Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Katherine Rundell.

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 10.15 am
    Where: Lyric Theatre
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  • Event C03 | Philip Ardagh | Bunnies in a Rocket | Ages 3-5

    £3.00

    Philip Ardagh - Bunnies in a Rocket - Ages 3-5

    The Sunny Town Bunnies have travelled by bus, in a boat, on Santa’s sleigh and now, in their most epic adventure of all, they’re going to the moon! What could possibly go wrong? The winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize brings his creation gloriously to life.

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 11.30 am
    Where: Lyric Theatre
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  • Event C04 | Vivian French | Trouble in Ogreville | Ages 6-11

    £3.00

    Vivian French - Trouble in Ogreville - Ages 6-11

    A hilarious adventure packed with capers, chaos and chocolate cake. Monny the Ogre needs a favour from Good King Ogle, but there’s trouble in the palace. Can he and the other village ogres sort it out?

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 1.00 pm
    Where: Lyric Theatre
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  • Event C05 | Laurence Anholt | Small Stories of Great Artists | Family Event

    £3.00

    Laurence Anholt - Small Stories of Great Artists - Family Event

    One of our greatest children’s illustrators presents his classic tales of the great artists and the real children who knew them – from Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo to Picasso and Leonardo. A joyous springboard into a lifetime’s love of art.

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 2.15 pm
    Where: Lyric Theatre
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  • Event C06 | The Great KidLit Draw-Off | Family Event

    £3.00

    The Great KidLit Draw-Off - Family Event

    Two teams of illustrators and authors face off. Who will come up with the weirdest story based on your suggestions? Explosively funny and fastpaced. It could get messy. 60 min.

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 3.30 pm
    Where: Lyric Theatre
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  • Event C07 | Holly Miller | Puppet Making Drop-in | FREE

    £0.00

    Holly Miller - Puppet Making Drop-in

    Create your own puppet with the Lyric Theatre’s in-house puppet-maker Holly Miller. She’ll help you make a rod puppet of your favourite character from a book. hollymillerartist.com

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 10.30 am - 12.30 pm
    Where: Lyric Theatre
    BOOK TICKETS Details

  • Event C08 | Illustration Drop-in | FREE

    £0.00

    Illustration Drop-in

    Develop your own drawing with an expert illustrator. Everyone is welcome because everyone can draw!

    When: Saturday 7 November 2026 @ 1.00 - 3.00 pm
    Where: Lyric Theatre
    BOOK TICKETS Details

  • Event C09 | Martin Maudsley | Monsterlogica | Family Event

    £5.00

    Martin Maudsley - Monsterlogica - A Menagerie of Monsters, beasts and magical beings

    In collaboration with Bridport Literary Festival and Oxenbury’s Yard, author and storyteller Martin Maudsley presents a special story performance for family audiences to celebrate his newly-published book Monsterlogica – lavishly illustrated by artist Victoria Topping.

    Join him on an imaginative journey around the world and through the pages of the book – alongside vibrant projected images – bringing to life a menagerie of monstrous beings and mysterious creatures…

    Find out: How to outwit a Troll; Where to find a Chupacabra; When to battle a Basilisk (and survive); and why all Dragons are not the same…

    Warning: May contain beastly encounters and wild adventures! Best for: Ages 7–12 and brave grown-ups. Format: 60 minutes of live storytelling and projected artwork from Monsterlogica. Plus meet the author and book sales/signings afterwards.

    Refreshments and home-baked Monster biscuits will also be available!!

    When: Saturday 19 September 2026 @ 10.30 am
    Where: Oxenbury's Yard
    BUY TICKETS Details

  • Become a Friend – Annual Membership – Couple

    £30.00
    The Friends of The Bridport Literary Festival has been formed to bring together all those who enjoy reading and love literature all the year round. The Friends Association will give vital support to the Festival organisers to attract writers of excellence of both fiction and non fiction and encourage them to West Dorset to talk about their work. Friends’ membership starts from 1 April each year. Friends of the Bridport Literary Festival will receive the following benefits:
    • An advance copy of the Festival Brochure
    • Priority booking of tickets
    • Free Postal Booking and no booking fee
    • Regular Friends events and gatherings
    • An annual Friends’ Party
    • Several newsletters each year
    • An opportunity to get involved
    Please note the difference between an individual or couple membership is the number of tickets you can buy for any Festival event during the priority period. Individuals can buy two tickets for each event and couples can buy four. After the priority period, this limitation is removed. Also, individual members only allow one person to attend the Friends’ party, whilst a couple member allows two.
    Add to basket Details

  • Become a Friend – Annual Membership – Individual

    £20.00
    The Friends of The Bridport Literary Festival has been formed to bring together all those who enjoy reading and love literature all the year round. The Friends Association will give vital support to the Festival organisers to attract writers of excellence of both fiction and non fiction and encourage them to West Dorset to talk about their work. Friends’ membership starts from 1 April each year. Friends of the Bridport Literary Festival will receive the following benefits:
    • An advance copy of the Festival Brochure
    • Priority booking of tickets
    • Free Postal Booking and no booking fee
    • Regular Friends events and gatherings
    • An annual Friends’ Party
    • Several newsletters each year
    • An opportunity to get involved
    Please note the difference between an individual or couple membership is the number of tickets you can buy for any Festival event during the priority period. Individuals can buy two tickets for each event and couples can buy four. After the priority period, this limitation is removed. Also, individual members only allow one person to attend the Friends’ party, whilst a couple member allows two.
    Add to basket Details
The Bridport Literary Festival © Copyright 2004 - 2026
Charity No: 1147075 | All Rights Reserved | Designed by BRACED
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