Bath Children’s Literature Festival announces 2026 dates (Sept/Oct)

The dates have been announced for Bath Children’s Literature Festival 2026, with the UK’s largest stand-alone children’s book festival returning this autumn.

The festival will run from Friday 25 September to Sunday 4 October, bringing ten days of stories, creativity and live events to the city.

Tickets will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 3 July via the Bath Box Office website.

The festival is organised by Bath Festivals and has become one of the most important events in the children’s publishing calendar, attracting leading authors, illustrators, performers and young readers from across the country.

Longleat returns as a headline supporter for the second consecutive year. The partnership comes as the Wiltshire attraction celebrates the 60th anniversary of becoming the first drive-through safari park outside Africa.

Waterstones will once again serve as the festival’s official bookseller, helping visitors access books from featured authors and illustrators throughout the event.

Further details of the 2026 programme are expected to be announced in the coming weeks ahead of ticket sales opening in July.

Bath Children’s Literature Festival is part of Bath Festivals, an arts charity dedicated to bringing culture, creativity and learning opportunities to audiences across the region.