Tickets for the Royal Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival went on sale on February 3, 2026. The festival returns to Kent from May 1 to May 10, 2026, as a 10-day programme featuring more than 40 events, including author talks, poetry readings and creative-writing workshops.
A new producing/leadership team is running the event this year with a stated aim of raising the festival’s national profile. Activities will take place at six core venues, including the Assembly Hall Theatre and The Amelia Scott, alongside events in Trinity Theatre, The Forum, Royal Victoria Place and a Camden Road independent-booksellers quarter hosting fringe events.
Organisers are aiming to draw over 10,000 visitors to the town in 2026; a spokesperson for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has said the festival is expected to increase visitor numbers compared with last year. This year also introduces a new fringe partnership with independent bookshops on Camden Road to host smaller community events.
Bookings are being managed through the Assembly Hall Theatre Box Office (online and in person) and the festival website. Regional tourism bodies such as Visit Kent list the festival among Kent’s cultural events and promote the wider benefits festivals bring to hospitality and retail in the county.
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