Essex Book Festival:
28 May – 30 June 2025,
100+ events | 200+ writers and artists | 35+ venues

A revamped Peacock Enclosure in Westcliff-on-Sea, The High Lighthouse in Harwich (and yes, there is a companion Low Lighthouse, plus multiple Lightships moored out to sea); an old oyster packing shed aptly known as The Packing Shed on Mersea Island, (once feted as a retirement community for Roman officers – we’re guessing the oysters played their part in that); a Norman Keep (arguably the best preserved in England) in Castle Hedingham, Colchester Samaritans Community Hall, and a nascent community food forest in the newly-created The Wild Space in Maldon: these are just some of the intriguingly – some might say ‘inspired’, others ‘intrepid’ – free-ranging venues that will be hosting 100+ events at this year’s inimitable Essex Book Festival.

With Ben Okri, Diane Abbott, Robin Ince, Maggi Hambling, Shami Chakrabarti, Monique Roffey, Abi Daré, Marina Warner, Alison Weir, James Cahill, Stig Abell, and Chloe Dalton in the festival mix, plus a plethora of other authors and artists, including two Essex debut authors: Nicolas Padamsee, one of The Observer’s Best Debut Novelists in 2024, and Maldon-based Sarah Hornsley, who’s book Bad Blood has been billed as one of the biggest debuts of 2025, there is plenty to get the literary juices going this June.

Essex Writers House

We are also delighted to be co-hosting the 8th iteration of Essex Writers House at Chalkwell Hall in Southend-on-Sea in partnership with Metal. Running throughout June, Essex Writers House is a hot bed of creativity and writing.

With complimentary hot desks overlooking the mercurial Thames Estuary; a programme of adventurous writing workshops incorporating everything from early morning wild swims to mud-larking; writing residencies; a wild writing desk (weather permitting) in the revamped Peacock Enclosure; open advice sessions ETC, anyone with a writing itch should make a beeline for Essex Writers House.

Radical Islands

As part of our ongoing RADICAL ESSEX programme, which aims to shed new lights on a county that arguably is more often than not misunderstood and misrepresented, and that to date has included everything from our RADICAL WALKS IN ESSEX, RADICAL ESSEX PROCESSION and RADICAL PILGRIMAGE from Southend to Saffron, we will be launching our new 18-month project: RADICAL ISLANDS on Mersea Island on Sunday 1st June.

Together with social historian Ken Worpole and writer/environmental activist Jules Pretty, audiences will be invited to take the ferry from Mersea Island’s mainland to The Packing Shed to find out what makes Essex islands’ so special – Essex has the most islands of any English county, some inhabited, some partial islands, some in a process of rewilding, others with rich and wild stories to tell – and what the past, present and future holds for them. Be there at the start of this intriguing conversation …

‘Given the nature of the ‘beast’, it’s almost impossible to sum up the ‘explosion’ of festival events that will be taking place – literary and other – across Essex in June. One thing is certain, however. It will be a wonderful community celebration. An opportunity for people across the county and beyond to savour some of our best writers, cultural thinkers, historians, politicians in the land in a variety of amazing venues from Chelmsford Cathedral to Layer Marney Tower. An opportunity for people, particularly families, to join in a range of events and activities focusing on nature and the environment. An opportunity for people to dip their pens and get writing at the Essex Writers House. For people to make new friends, have new conversations, share their stories. And most importantly, to have fun.’

Festival Director ROS GREEN