Margate Bookie
4-12 October 2025
The friendly litfest by the sea!
A nine-day festival in marvellous Margate
Big name authors at Turner Contemporary, creative writing workshops, poetry slam, children’s events, book launches, school visits, literary walks, podcasts, fish and chips, ice cream, and the loveliest skies in Europe.
4 October
Write Up
A full day of workshops for writers of all abilities. Our Write Up sessions will stretch your creativity and prepare you for getting your work to the wider world.
The Margate School
5-10 October
The Margate School and The Shakespeare
Margate Week
A week of literary events spotlighting local authors. Events include workshops, talks, panel discussions, a pub quiz and a local writers showcase.
10 October
Schools Day
A full day of events for local secondary school children at the Turner Contemporary, sponsored by Thanet Rotary. These sessions are not open to the public.
Turner Contemporary
11-12 October
Two days of events for children aged 3-11, with readings, activities, and more. Speakers include Dave Pigeon illustrator Sheena Dempsey, Lockett & Wilde author Lucy Strange, The Dinosaur the Pooped illustrator Garry Parsons, and Margate’s own Crab Museum.
Turner Contemporary Clore Learning Studio
Children’s Bookie
11-12 October
The heart of the Margate Bookie festival – a packed weekend of talks and workshops at the Turner Contemporary and The Margate School. Speakers include Jay Rayner, The School of Life, David Whitehouse, GD Wright, Adam Weymouth, Jacqueline Crooks, Xiaolu Guo, Raymond Antrobus, Victoria Adukwei Bulley and many more.
Turner Contemporary