"The quality of the presenters, the amazing participants creativity and the comfort of theCrescent Arts Centre."

"There is a sense of shared excitement and ownership in this festival which is just lovely particularly in the beautiful building and the welcome extended by workers and volunteers - it all makes for a really lovely experience."

Below are just some highlights from the last three year's of Belfast Book Festival but click here for more details on our previous editions of the Belfast Book Festival.  

2025

• 2025 marked the 15th edition of Belfast Book Festival, housed all under one roof at The Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast and ran between 5-12 June.
• The ticketing scheme for the fourth year was Pay What You Decide.
• Our Book Festival exhibition was all about Book Covers - The Art of Translation curated Anna Morrison in collaboration with Literature Ireland.
• Festival Highlights included: Game of Thrones star Kristain Nairn; former BBC Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, Joseph O’Connor, Wendy Erskine, Tessa Hadley, Eimear McBride, Kathryn Ferguson, Stacey Gregg, Luke Harding, Darran Anderson, Eoin McNamee, Roddy Doyle, Andrea Carter, Neil Hegarty, Noreen Masud, Claire Lynch, Roisin O'Donnell, Jan Carson, Gráinne O’Hare and Thomas Morris.
• We celebrated the beloved Irish poet, Michael Longley in an event led by Belfast Book Festival Patron and poet Paul Muldoon, joined by Frances Tomelty, Bernard MacLaverty, Susannah Dickey and James Conor Patterson who shared a series of readings of Longley’s work, spanning the decades of his career.
• The literacy legacy of Edna O’Brien was commemorated as leading authors and filmmakers discussed their favourite O’Brien texts. Chaired by literary journalist and editor Alex Clark, panellists included Sinéad O’Shea, (director of Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story), and authors Eimear McBride and Jan Carson. 
• The first day of the Festival was all about development opportunities for writers and illustrators. We offered 1:1's, info sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. 
• All activity at The Crescent and the Belfast Book Festival is collaborative endeavour. Our thanks to Festival 2025 Associates Emma Cummins for her insights, perspectives and ideas.
• Thanks to supporters of the Festival The Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation, Bavarian BMW, and Hastings Hotels.
• The 2025 Mairtín Crawford Awards were supported by Johns Elliot Solicitors and No Alibis Bookstore. Johns Elliot Solicitors investment in the Mairtín Crawford Awards was supported by the Arts & Business NI Investment Programme. 

2024

• We operated the third year of the Pay What You Decide scheme.
• Banshee Press was our Spotlight Press.
• There were Festival Reading Groups, including silent ones!
• Festival highlights included: Margaret Drabble in conversation with Wendy Erskine; Colm Tóibín chatting with Festival Patron Lucy Caldwell; Sinéad Gleeson; Kevin Barry; Elaine Feeney; Martin Doyle; Louise Kennedy; Fergal Keane; Suzi Ronson; Nicola Tallant; AC Grayling; and Eimear Ryan.
• There was a strong line-up of writers for children: the iconic Jacqueline Wilson; readings with Martin Waddell alongside an exhibition celebrating his picture books; and launches of new work from Northern Ireland talent Ashling Lindsay and Colleen Larmour.
• The Festival’s poetry programme featured celebrated US poet Marie Howe; and Belfast’s Dawn Watson and Scott McKendry; and there’s a special live edition of RTÉ Sunday Miscellany with new writing from a line up that includes Jan Carson and Glenn Patterson
• The first day of the Festival opened with a focus on Professional Development including: our second Fun Fair, which was a great opportunity for writers looking for oppportunities or advance
• All activity at The Crescent and the Belfast Book Festival is collaborative endeavour. Our thanks to Festival 2024 Associates Neil Hegarty and Mícheál McCann for their insights, perspectives and ideas
• It was a pleasure to work with Johns Elliot Solicitors, supporters of the Festival over a number of years, and we welcomed a second year of collaboration with The Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation. Thanks too go to CILIP Ireland for multi-annual support of the Mairtín Crawford Awards and to partner Hastings Hotel.

2023

• We operated a Pay What You Decide scheme for a second year.
• We welcomed a new collaboration with The Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation.
• The programme of events gathered together speakers on a range of themes: the climate emergency; explorations of girlhood; and the power of translation to create new worlds. Festival highlights include Deirdre Madden in conversation with Wendy Erskine; Sarah Gilmartin discussing her new novel Service; poets Jess McKinney, Jane Clarke, and Emma Must; Michael Magee discussing models of masculinity, Kerri ní Dochartaigh and Doreen Cunningham discussing motherhood with Alice Kinsella; a celebration of the Stinging Fly at 25; Eoghan Daltun on rethinking our relationship with nature; and a special live recording of RTE Sunday Miscellany.
• All activity at The Crescent and the Belfast Book Festival is collaborative endeavour. Our thanks to Festival 2023 Associates Natasha Cuddington, Sasha de Buyl, Neil Hegarty and Mícheál McCann for their insights, perspectives and ideas
• We ran the first ever Belfast Book Festival FunFair; a social afternoon with and for folks active and interested in books and writing. We were joined by 33 resource organisations, funders and journals who were on site to provide support, advice and connections.  
• Commissioned works including the creation of a giant hot pink Swift, created by artist Ronan Lee Smyth. You can find out more about this artwork and other commissioned works here.
• There are also games to be played, films to be watched, faces to get painted and VR to be experienced. If you’re coming to an event, consider building in some time to explore the building (which celebrated its 150th birthday in 2023 and it’s looking well on it!).   
• Thanks to Johns Elliot Solicitors and Translink, supporters of the Festival over a number of years.