The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2026
The dates for the 2026 Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival are now firmly in the diary – Friday 13 to Monday 16 November 2026. This will be the fifth consecutive year of this popular festival and, better still, 2026 is the National Year of Reading. Let’s do our best to continue to bring the love of reading and writing for all ages to Exmoor, Devon and Somerset.
Another fabulous lineup of authors and speakers came along to the Festival in November 2025. The event, which was over four days, included an inaugural Festival Literary Lunch and a new Festival Schools Day. It received some phenomenal feedback, with audience members and authors describing it as a “tour de force” and an “impressive and inspiring literary weekend”. According to sponsor Exmoor Magazine, the Festival is “now firmly established as a gem in Exmoor’s crown”. Discover much of the feedback HERE.
Last year’s event featured author/speaker talks about The Salt Path Scandal; the dramatic fall from grace of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor; the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen; the legacy of Margaret Thatcher; an historic Devonshire true crime investigation; the men behind the tragic bombings of Hiroshima; and the global Red Dress embroidery project. Lauren Child, Petroc Trelawny, Tamsin Waley-Cohen, Carol Drinkwater, Ruth Hogan, Veronica Henry, Kate Lord Brown, Hannah Bourne-Taylor, Catrina Davies, William Sitwell, Hannah Richell and Sara Pearse were just a few of the other authors and speakers that joined the impressive programme.
Who will be here in 2026? Please keep an eye on this page for all the information. If you’d like to receive regular e-newsletters and updates about the Festival, please sign up to receive the emails below.
If you would like to become one of our valued Friends of the Festival 2026, see the details below.
Become a Friend of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2026
Would you like to become a valued Friend of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival? The minimum donation is only £20!
The Friends initiative began in 2024 and was formed to bring together all those who enjoy reading all year round and to encourage a richer and wider development of the event. In 2025 we had over 80 fabulous Friends! By becoming a Friend for 12 months you will give vital support to the Festival organisers in attracting writers of excellence to Dulverton – of both fiction and non-fiction. You will also help support our outreach programme which encourages reading and writing across our local schools via workshops and through our annual Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition and the Festival Schools Day.
Click HERE for all the details to become a Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Friend of 2026. The minimum donation remains at £20.
The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition
The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition 2025 received dozens of entries and historical novelist Kate Lord Brown once again kindly judged the entries and read out the winning story at the Festival on Sunday 16 November after her Book Club author talk with Carol Drinkwater and Veronica Henry. The theme of the competition was ‘My Exmoor’ – an opportunity for creative non-fiction writing.
Watch this space for details of the Children’s Writing Competition for 2026.
L to R: Author Veronica Henry, Winning Writer Finley Richardson, Author and Competition Judge Kate Lord Brown, Actress and Author Carol Drinkwater, Runner Up Edie Richards.
The winner was announced as Finley Richardson (10) with Runners Up Grace Griffiths-McDonald (11) and Edie Richards (5). Enjoy Finley’s wonderful poem ‘The Rhythm of Exmoor’ below.
Our Generous Festival Sponsors and Supporters
Would you like to become one of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival’s much-loved sponsors for 2026? If so, please contact Festival Director, Ali Pegrum at hello@visitdulverton.com.
The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2025 was sponsored by the following local businesses, without whom the event could not have taken place. Stockham Farm Exmoor, Tozers Solicitors, Jackson Stops,Taunton, The Dulverton Development Programme, Mr and Mrs Prebensen of Hollam House, The Exmoor Society, Risdon Solicitors, Jeff Pegrum Landscaping, Rupert White Interiors, Exmoor News, Ware Construction, Osteo & Physio Tiverton, Rothwell & Dunworth Antiquarian Books and Pet Pain Relief of Dulverton.
Our thanks also to the following for their support of the event: Dulverton Town Council, The Bridge Inn Dulverton, Tarr Farm Inn, Exmoor Magazine and Waterstones of Taunton and Barnstaple.
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Previous Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festivals…
Take a look back at the authors and speakers that appeared at the 2025 Festival, at the 2024 Festival, at the 2023 Festival and at the 2022 Festival.
