Queen’s Park Book Festival returns for its ninth year on 5th and 6th September 2026. The festival takes place in the leafy surroundings of North London’s Queen’s Park. Organisers promise a joyous send-off, packed with fiction, biography, history, cookery and family events. Festival Director Thomas du Plessis says the team feels immensely proud of the community they built, and they want to end on a high note with a stellar final line-up. The full 2026 Queen’s Park Book Festival programme, including the schedules for Saturday and Sunday, is available to view online at queensparkbookfestival.co.uk/programme
Star authors take the stage
Philip Pullman headlines this year’s festival, discussing the epic conclusion to Lyra Silvertongue’s story as The Rose Field publishes in paperback this July. Sebastian Barry joins the programme too, exploring his visceral new novel set after the American Civil War. History fans can hear Michael Lewis reveal fresh insight into the Bayeux Tapestry ahead of its landmark British Museum exhibition. Sathnam Sanghera examines music and politics through the life of George Michael, while Iain Dale shares a candid account of his career in politics and media. Readers can also catch Natasha Walter on feminism, Simon Garfield on the history of the pen, and Dr Saira Hameed unpacking the science of hormones alongside BBC Health Editor Hugh Pym. Foodies won’t want to miss Honey & Co.’s Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer, plus chef Theo Randall celebrating Italian cuisine.
Family fun and comedy nights
Children can meet beloved author Jacqueline Wilson, who shares her forthcoming book Esme Pepper, alongside illustrator Rob Biddulph and author Curtis Jobling. The festival’s free Community Tent shines a spotlight on local voices, with sessions on travel, motherhood, masculinity, street style and wellbeing running throughout the weekend. Saturday evening closes with the festival’s Comedy Night, featuring Dominic Holland, Samantha Day and Rob Deering, hosted by Rich Wilson.
After nine remarkable years, Queen’s Park Book Festival invites families and book lovers to celebrate the written word together, one final time.
