The Belfast Book Festival begins this Thursday 5 June with tickets now on sale for a packed programme of live events, workshops and family-friendly shows. The 15th edition of the festival will run 5-12 June housed all under the one roof at The Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. Audeinces can expect events from Joseph O’Connor, Wendy Erskine, Tessa Hadley, Eimear McBride, Darran Anderson, Eoin McNamee, Roddy Doyle, Andrea Carter, Neil Hegarty, Noreen Masud, Claire Lynch, Roisin O’Donnell, Jan Carson, and Gráinne O’Hare amongst many others.
Highlights include Game of Thrones star Kristain Nairn and his new book that documents life on the set of one of the world’s most popular TV shows, Sam McAlister (ex BBC-producer and author of Scoops) will join Lucia Osborne-Crowley, (author of The Lasting Harm: Witnessing the Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell) for a riveting discussion on the complexities of high-profile legal battles, power and privilege and how journalism shapes public perception and accountability. Whilst Luke Harding (award winning foreign correspondent for The Guardian) offers an unmissable conversation about Ukraine and world politics.
The festival will also hold commemorative events to celebrate both Michael Longley and Edna O’Brien and their undeniable influence on the international literary world. As ever, there will be a celebration of emerging talent with the announcement of the winners of Mairtín Crawford Awards and a platform for this year’s Seamus Heaney Fellows – with author Jan Carson, poet Fiona Benson, and screenwriters Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson taking stage this year.
Children’s event highlights include an afternoon with Paul Linnet, co-creator of the bestselling Supertato picture books, Babita Sharma returns with her much-loved series Adventures of Priya Mistry and there is also a very special opportunity to hear from Oliver Jeffers – multi-award winning picture book creator and author of books such as The Day the Crayons Quit.
Sophie Hayles, CEO of The Crescent Arts Centre and Director of the Belfast Book Festival, says:
‘We’ve got a great line-up of author events, workshops and family friendly programming. Expect some big names as well as a platform for the emerging talent on the literary scene. 2025 celebrates the contemporary as well as remembering those that have greatly left their mark on the international literary world. We’re really looking forward to welcoming audiences to The Crescent for the 15th edition of the Belfast Book Festival.’
Art lovers, be sure to check out the Art of Translation, the festival’s exhibition that offers a fantastic snapshot of international book design via leading Irish writers, presented in collaboration with Literature Ireland.
The full Belfast Book Festival programme and event details can be found at: www.belfastbookfestival.com
Tickets can be be found at: www.belfastbookfestival.com with all event tickets available on a pay-what-you-decide scale.