Derby Book Festival Summer Programme: 22nd May – 31st May 2026

Tickets for Derby Book Festival’s Summer Edition is officially on sale! Taking place 22nd May – 31st May 2026, there is something for everyone in Derby.

Tickets for all events can be booked online at www.derbybookfestival.co.uk. For people who are unable to attend in person, 29 events will be recorded and made available after the Festival ends as both individual recordings or as a Digital Pass for £60.

Highlights of this years Summer Edition are:

• Novelists Joanna Cannon and Patrick Gale in conversation about their latest novels
• Waterstones Book of the Year winner, Lucy Steeds at QUAD
• Guardian sports journalist Jonathan Wilson on the history of the World Cup at QUAD, sponsored by Smith Partnership
• Labour Minister Chris Bryant MP talking about his fascinating biography at QUAD
• Historian Professor Janina Ramirez joins us at QUAD sponsored by The Pepperpot
• Former English cricketer Ashley Giles at Central Co-Op County Ground sponsored by the Cricket Societies Association
• Jo Hamilton talks about her experience of The Post Office Scandal at QUAD, sponsored by Penguin PR
• Two cream tea events with Kate Strasdin and Clare Hunter at Museum of Making, sponsored by Crystal Care Collection
• BBC Radio 4’s Claudia Hammond talking about her latest book, Overwhelmed, sponsored by Crystal Care Collection
• The biography of the Mitford Girls’ mother, Muv, sponsored by Boolers at Derby College
• A special event at Kedleston Hall with novelist Deepa Anappara, which has strong links with Kedleston Hall’s latest exhibition, How Did We Get Here?
• Blogger and DIY buddy Laura Deller at the Museum of Making

An expanded children and families’ programme including the popular Bookworms: The Kids Takeover at Electric Daisy (in partnership with Down to Earth Derby) sponsored by Smith Partnership plus Making Science Fun! with Roma Agrawal, learn to create comics with illustrator Laura Howell and an Introduction to Dungeons and Dragons Workshop.

The Festival will once again take over Derby College on Sunday 24 May with seven events held across the day, with a Takeover Day Pass available for £40 for all seven events. The Day will also include a series of Writing Workshops and the annual Festival Book Quiz.

There will also be an event featuring a new biography of Joseph Wright of Derby on 19 July at the Old Library, Derby Museum and Art Gallery with Steve Farnsworth. This will coincide with the much-anticipated exhibition of Joseph Wright’s paintings which will transfer from the National Gallery.