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Wantage, Grove & the villages of the Vale of White Horse · OX12
MON26OCT

Wantage Literary Festival 2026

Monday 26 October to Saturday 7 NovemberIn 19 daysFestivals

About

The Wantage Literary Festival returns for its 16th year from Monday 26 October to Saturday 7 November 2026. Most events are at The Beacon on Portway, with others at the Vale and Downland Museum, the Parish Church and around the town. Speakers include Victoria Hislop, Janina Ramirez, Stephen Sackur, Alan Johnson, Jasper Fforde, Professor David Wilson and Kathy Clugston.

What happens

  • Author talks on fiction, history, sport, art, science and politics.
  • The Big Town Read ‘Crime and Wine’ evening with Oxford crime writer Simon Mason, priced lower so more people can come.
  • A graphology workshop and short one-to-one handwriting analyses.
  • A ghost walk (sold out) and a walking tour of Wantage’s Anglo-Saxon history from the Market Place.
  • A Schubert piano recital in the Parish Church.
  • Free events, all needing booking: a Wind in the Willows family day at the museum, practical tips on self-publishing, and poetry at the museum.
  • Free reading groups, Rhyme Time and Storytime at the library during festival week.

The festival is a registered charity (no. 1165315).

Programme for 2026

  1. Mon 26 Oct 12.00pmBernard O'Donoghue and Esther Lay: Talking PoetryThe Beacon
  2. Mon 26 Oct 1.30pmBernard O'Donoghue: The Poems of Seamus HeaneyThe Beacon
  3. Mon 26 Oct 3.00pmJonathan Wilson: The Power and the Glory, a new history of the World CupThe Beacon
  4. Mon 26 Oct 7.00pmProfessor David Wilson: A History of Modern Britain in Twenty Murders (opening lecture)The Beacon
  5. Tue 27 Oct 11.00amChristina Strang: graphology workshop (20 places)The Beacon
  6. Tue 27 Oct 1.00pmAlexandra Loske: The Artist's PaletteThe Beacon
  7. Tue 27 Oct 2.00pmVictoria Hislop: The Wine-Dark SeaThe Beacon
  8. Tue 27 Oct 4.00pmRob Stepney and Kathy Clugston: Good Occasionally Rhyming (the Shipping Forecast centenary)The Beacon
  9. Tue 27 Oct 8.00pmGhost walk (sold out)Wantage town centre
  10. Wed 28 Oct 10.00amWind in the Willows family day (free, also 1pm to 3pm)Vale and Downland Museum
  11. Wed 28 Oct 12.00pmRod Craig and Peter Adamson: Blenheim, Reflections in Paint and PoetryThe Beacon
  12. Wed 28 Oct 2.00pmMiranda Seymour: I, VeraThe Beacon
  13. Wed 28 Oct 3.15pmVictoria Wright: The Health Rebel's AlmanacThe Beacon
  14. Wed 28 Oct 6.30pmMaria Razumovskaya: piano recital, SchubertChurch of St Peter and St Paul
  15. Thu 29 Oct 12.00pmNicola Moorby: Turner and ConstableThe Beacon
  16. Thu 29 Oct 2.00pmDaniel Stables: FiestaThe Beacon
  17. Thu 29 Oct 3.00pmHamish de Bretton-Gordon: Tank CommandThe Beacon
  18. Thu 29 Oct 4.00pmJack Perks: The Great British RiverThe Beacon
  19. Thu 29 Oct 6.00pmSimon Mason: The Dangerous Stranger (Big Town Read, Crime and Wine)The Beacon
  20. Fri 30 Oct 10.00amMoudhy Al-Rashid: Between Two RiversThe Beacon
  21. Fri 30 Oct 12.00pmCharlotte Mullins: The Art IslesThe Beacon
  22. Fri 30 Oct 2.00pmAlexander Ballinger: Phyllis Dalton, a career in costumeThe Beacon
  23. Fri 30 Oct 4.00pmJasper Fforde: Dark Reading MatterThe Beacon
  24. Fri 30 Oct 5.30pmAlan Johnson: 20th Century Man (Harold Wilson)The Beacon
  25. Sat 31 Oct 12.00pmCatherine Edwards: Orator, the life of CiceroThe Beacon
  26. Sat 31 Oct 1.15pmAdam Hart: Operation PimentoThe Beacon
  27. Sat 31 Oct 2.00pmPeter Cardwell: Political AnimalsThe Beacon
  28. Sat 31 Oct 3.15pmDebbie Kilroy: Members Behaving BadlyThe Beacon
  29. Sat 31 Oct 4.00pmChris Lintott: Beyond ArtemisThe Beacon
  30. Sat 31 Oct 7.00pmMonkeyfists: sea shantiesThe Beacon
  31. Sun 1 Nov 11.00amA short walking tour through Wantage's Anglo-Saxon historyMarket Place
  32. Wed 4 Nov 7.00pmPractical tips to self-publishing (free)The Beacon
  33. Thu 5 Nov 1.30pmTimelines: poetry (free)Vale and Downland Museum
  34. Sat 7 Nov 2.00pmJanina Ramirez: LegendaThe Beacon
  35. Sat 7 Nov 2.15pmArthur Snell: ElementalThe Beacon
  36. Sat 7 Nov 3.30pmDominic Gregory: Lifeboat at the End of the WorldThe Beacon
  37. Sat 7 Nov 4.00pmStephen Sackur: Hard TruthThe Beacon
  38. Sat 7 Nov 6.00pmAndrew Lownie: Entitled, the fall of the House of YorkThe Beacon

Getting there and parking

Most events are at The Beacon, Portway (OX12 9BX). Others are at the Vale and Downland Museum, 19 Church Street (OX12 8BL), the Parish Church on Church Street (OX12 8AQ) and the library. The festival says there is parking around the town centre, including at The Beacon, the Market Place (short stay), Sainsbury’s and Kings Park, and Waitrose, with restrictions that vary by car park.

If you have access or seating needs, the festival asks you to contact it through its website before you come.

Food and drink nearby

Within about a 10-minute walk.

Taking part

The festival looks for volunteers aged 16 and over to steward events and help in the café during festival week, and primary schools can join its schools programme. Get in touch through the festival website.

Questions

When is the 2026 festival?

Monday 26 October to Saturday 7 November 2026.

Where are events held?

Mostly at The Beacon on Portway. Some are at the Vale and Downland Museum, the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul, and outdoors around the town.

How much are tickets?

Most talks are £13.50 for adults and £8 for students and under 14s. Headline evening talks are £15. Several events are free but need booking.

How do I book?

Online through the festival's TicketSource page, by phone on the TicketSource box office (0333 666 3366), or in person at the Brews and Books Café in The Beacon on weekday mornings.

Can I get a refund?

Not unless the event is cancelled, but tickets can be passed on to someone else.

Are there free events?

Yes: the Wind in the Willows family day (28 October), practical tips on self-publishing (4 November) and Timelines poetry (5 November). Booking is essential.

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