Stoke Book Festival set for Stoke Town
A city-wide collaboration will see a week-long book festival take place in Stoke Town this October.
Stoke Book Festival – will take place from 3–10 October 2026 – will be presented by Stoke Minster in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council Libraries, Visit Stoke-on-Trent, YMCA North Staffs and the National Literacy Trust.
The festival will feature a programme of author talks, workshops, family activities, school events and community celebrations designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading, storytelling and creativity.
(Image Mel Sherratt issued by Stoke Book Festival)
Confirmed authors include:
AJ West, a Sunday Times bestseller for The Betrayal of Thomas True and an award-winning former BBC journalist and broadcaster. AJ’s new book, The Deadly Inheritance of Everest Macdonald, due for release in October 2026, is set to be a dark, atmospheric historical mystery novel.
Verity Babbs, art historian and passionate advocate for Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramic heritage. Her book Art History in One Sentence makes art accessible, entertaining, engaging and relatable.
Helena Attlee, an author and journalist who has made the garden and its history her special subject. Her books include The Gardens of Portugal, Italian Gardens: A Cultural History, and Gardens of Wales.
Mel Sheratt, a bestselling Stoke-on-Trent author and passionate reader. Mel has authored twenty-six novels that have sold over two million copies worldwide. Her crime fiction is known for its dark, emotionally resonant stories, with her latest, Family Matters, released this year.
Simon Drakeford, Communities and Arts Manager at Stoke Minster and Director of Stoke Book Festival, said: “We are excited to bring Stoke Book Festival to Stoke. The city already has a diverse artistic and cultural offering, and the Book Festival will further enrich it, helping to mark Stoke-on-Trent as a destination for culture and the arts.
“The festival seeks to make books and the joy they bring accessible to every single person. Together we can challenge the literacy deprivation that holds so many people back.
“We have a fantastic programme that works to make books and all the joy they bring accessible for all. The support we have received so far has blown us away and confirms that the Stoke Book Festival will be fantastic.”
The festival team, led by Stoke Minster, is inviting business, organisations, and individuals to support the event through a range of sponsorship opportunities.
Local authors and writers will also have the opportunity to network at the festival.
