Whitby Lit Fest – Celebrating Whitby
Calling all bookworms!
This year is the first ever Whitby Literature Festival, taking place in November 2025 from Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th. The festival is here to celebrate Whitby’s literary heritage and connect readers with contemporary authors and poets, past and present.
A host of authors and playwrights will be participating in venues across Whitby. Featured events include a creative writing workshop with bestselling author David Mark, which is scheduled for Thursday 6th. David helps writers to tell their stories in an environment of positivity, encouragement and shared imagination.
Whitby Lit Fest events on the next day include a poetry workshop delivered by author Harry Gallagher themed around coastal history, helping you explore ideas. Pens, pads and other prompt materials will be provided, so no need to worry about supplies! Experienced at delivering creative writing workshops, Harry runs the Northeast Stanza of the Poetry Society.
On Saturday author Barbara Havelocke, alongside fellow author and historian Lucinda Hawksley will explore Barbara’s book Estella’s Revenge. This is a reimagining of the story of Charles Dickens’ Miss Havisham from his classic novel Great Expectations. Who better than to explore the matter than Lucinda Hawksley, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Dickens himself!
Scheduled on Sunday is an interview with Sir Alan Ayckbourn, one of Britain’s most celebrated playwrights. Sir Alan is also an acclaimed director and has worked extensively in the West End and at the National Theatre.
These are just some of the events happening throughout this year’s Whitby Lit Fest. This is your chance to release your creativity and appreciate the world of literature!
LilyRose Hotel; your perfect literary retreat!
While enjoying the festival, the place to stay is the LilyRose Hotel, located in the Esplanade area of Whitby. The hotel has 18 boutique ensuite rooms for exclusive use, including cosy double rooms suitable for single occupancy and special doubles for couples.