Ilminster Literary Festival

The Illminster Literary Festival Committee are now looking forward to welcoming Martin Bell, Fay Weldon, Chris Mullin, Laurie Graham, Daisy Waugh, Alastair Sawday, Georgie Newbery, Robert Parry, Stephen Moss, Philip Wilkinson and many more exciting guests from  30th May. The full line up will be available shortly and tickets can be booked online here from 11th April.

Please note that the details of our 2018  programme and Where to buy Tickets in the current edition of Lamp are incorrect. Please use our Events at a Glance page.  Our box office is situated at Airs and Graces, Silver Street, Ilminster.  Open Tuesday -Saturday.

History of the Festival.

The Ilminster Literary Festival was set up to offer local people of all ages in Ilminster and the surrounding areas an exciting and enjoyable opportunity to meet a variety of authors, editors, and script writers through discussion, talks and meetings, at affordable prices.

The Ilminster Literary Festival is now a Registered Charity No 1169618

The Festival is now run by a group of 6 trustees, and a Management Operations committee of around 6 volunteers. No one is paid a salary or wage.

The first Festival ran from the 1st to 9th of June 2016 in a variety of locations in Ilminster and surrounding villages with the emphasis being on local authors. Our second Festival was equally as successful and varied and became an annual event. Our third Festival in June will be launched at a Book Fair in April, followed soon after by a Quiz Night on May 11th (all welcome see programme and tickets) The  2018 Festival starts on 30th May with 20 plus varied and interesting events, finishing with a one act play with supper on Friday 8th June. Hopefully  there will be something interesting for everyone to enjoy.

Tickets for the various events will be available from 11th April either online via this website or if you prefer to purchase a ticket direct from a local shop, Airs and Graces in Silver Street, Ilminster.

The Festival is being supported by local people, businesses, the Library, Friends or Sponsors, and by generous donations  in the past from Ilminster Town Council, SSDC, the Gooch Charitable Trust, Ilminster Education Foundation, and Tesco Stores. All of these contributions have enabled the Festival to build year on year, with well known speakers appearing  from across the UK and even further.