It’s brilliant to see our town getting behind Ipswich Book Festival, 2–4 October 2026. Banners, posters and window clings are popping up across Ipswich. ‘First week in October’ is deliberately done to ensure banners can be reused year after year.

But it works both ways. The festival is promoting Ipswich, bringing people into the town and encouraging them to explore places they might not normally visit. Last year, 1 in 3 festival visitors came from outside Ipswich*.

Events are happening right across the town, from DanceEast and the New Wolsey Theatre to Stoke Bridge Workshops, St Stephen’s Church, the Ipswich Institute, Ipswich Library, Old Custom House, St Clement’s Art Centre, Ipswich Town Hall, Unitarian Meeting House, Christchurch Mansion and University of Suffolk.

And it’s not just venues, businesses and sponsors getting involved. 62 people are volunteering their time over the weekend to help make the festival happen.
And a massive shout-out to Andrew at Dial Lane Books, who has a very busy week ahead, taking authors into 40 schools across Ipswich for Schools’ Week, 28 September–2 October.

This is what backing Ipswich looks like. And as we keep everything crossed for our bid to become the 2029 City of Culture, this is exactly the kind of attitude and support that shows what our town can do when we all get behind it.

Ipswich Book Festival
WHAT associates Ltd Creative Partner
All About Ipswich | Ipswich Central Town Sponsor
Larking Gowen Principle Sponsor
Sizewell C, Education Sponsor
Hudson Group Production Partner
New Wolsey Theatre Ticketing Partner

*Source: Ipswich Book Festival 2025 Impact Report