Whitby is set to host its very first literature festival next year.
In this brand new event for the harbour town, the festival aims to celebrate Whitby’s literary links, provide a platform for local novelists, poets and playwrights, and extend its tourism season.
The Whitby Literature Festival will take place over four days, from Thursday 6 November to Sunday 9 November 2025.
The festival is a long-time coming for a town steeped in such a rich literary history.
Whitby is well-known for its connection to Bram Stoker’s Dracula but has many other literary associations – including Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, a visit by Charles Dickens, the poetry of Caedmon and the works of Elizabeth Gaskell.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture, arts and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “Whitby is among our most famous and popular towns that has been an inspiration to writers for centuries – and continues to be so.
“We know that the tourism sector is so valuable to the local economy, and our challenge is to try to extend the tourism season well beyond the summer when it’s traditionally quieter and our towns and coastal destinations can see reduced footfall.
“I’m sure that the launch of this festival will capture the imagination of many who want to share in the celebration of Whitby’s rich literary history.”
North Yorkshire Council has teamed up with a number of local businesses to launch the inaugural festival.
Lois Kirtlan, managing director at Hetty and Betty Cafe in Whitby and festival director, said: “Six years ago I started my business in Whitby and it struck me that there was no literature festival. It seemed a little odd that a town so steeped in literature heritage wouldn’t hold its own literature festival.
“I started conversations to create Whitby’s own literature festival but unfortunately the pandemic stopped it from coming into being. Earlier this year I started the conversations again, and we created the steering group.
“As festival director, I’m so delighted that Whitby will finally have its own literature festival, which will become a permanent addition to the annual events calendar.”
To keep up to date with the festival, visit their website here or at their Facebook page.