Portsmouth BookFest
We are a friendly and relaxed book festival on the South Coast of England offering almost three weeks of exciting events for all ages in a range of lovely venues!
The festival is run by Portsmouth City Council Library and Archive Service in partnership with independent bookseller The Hayling Island Bookshop.
At most events there is the opportunity to buy a book and have it signed by the author.
Tickets are available from Monday 6th January.
If the event you are interested in is not listed here, it may be organised by an external venue who are organising their own ticket sales - see https://librariesandarchives.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-library-service/whats-on/events/portsmouth-bookfest/ for full listings.
Please note BookFest tickets are non-refundable. In the event of cancellation by the organiser ticket holders will be offered a full refund.
We look forwards to seeing you at the festival!
Zine making workshop
No tickets available
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: University of Portsmouth: University Library |
|---|---|
| P | Saturday 22nd February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 10:00am, Start time: 10:00am |
| . | Age restrictions are shown in the Event information and/or Ticket types |
| C | Literature |
Moonstruck!
Creative writing with Lynne Stretch
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Cosham Library |
|---|---|
| P | Saturday 22nd February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 10:15am, Start time: 10:15am |
| . | Age restrictions are shown in the Event information and/or Ticket types |
| C | Literature |
Moonstruck!
Creative writing with Lynne Stretch
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Southsea Library |
|---|---|
| P | Saturday 22nd February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 1:30pm, Start time: 1:30pm |
| . | Age restrictions are shown in the Event information and/or Ticket types |
| C | Literature |
Black Yanks
Defending Leroy Henry in D-Day Britain
| 0 | SOUTHSEA: D-Day Story |
|---|---|
| P | Monday 24th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 1:00pm, Start time: 1:00pm |
| . | 14 and over |
| C | Literature |
Regina
With Emily Murdoch Perkins
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Tuesday 25th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 2:00pm, Start time: 2:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Historic Building Mythbusting
With James Wright
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: University of Portsmouth: Eldon Building |
|---|---|
| P | Tuesday 25th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Where madness lies
The double life of Vivien Leigh by Lyndsy Spence
| 0 | ONLINE: Zoom - online event |
|---|---|
| P | Tuesday 25th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Solent and Other Oceans
A Pens of the Earth poetry workshop, with Alison Habens and Sue Spiers
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: The Green House |
|---|---|
| P | Wednesday 26th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 3:00pm, Start time: 3:00pm |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
Family history and the media
Behind the scenes of Who Do You Think You Are
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Wednesday 26th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Taking a ride on the BookFest Express!
A poetry workshop with Maggie Sawkins to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Thursday 27th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 3:00pm, Start time: 3:00pm |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
The exploding typewriter
Poetry, music and spoken word with Niall Hollaert and Andrew Stuart-Buttle
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Thursday 27th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Music - Classical |
Helen Lederer
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Friday 28th February, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
Short Story Workshop
With Richard Salsbury
No tickets available
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Saturday 1st March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 10:00am, Start time: 10:00am |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
The sparkler
With Alan Humm
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Saturday 1st March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 1:00pm, Start time: 1:00pm |
| . | 14 and over |
| C | Literature |
From the heart poetry recital and concert
Hosted by Maggie Sawkins featuring Janet Ayers and Les Kazoos d'amour
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Square Tower |
|---|---|
| P | Sunday 2nd March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 6:00pm, Start time: 6:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Making the weather
Six politicians who changed modern Britain with Vernon Bogdanor
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Monday 3rd March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Women at War
With Christine Lord
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Tuesday 4th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 2:00pm, Start time: 2:00pm |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
Suzanne Marie Taylor
Still Life "Movy"
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Tuesday 4th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | Age restrictions are shown in the Event information and/or Ticket types |
| C | Literature |
Crime Bites 1: Caitlin Davies
Private Inquiries
| 0 | ONLINE: Zoom - online event |
|---|---|
| P | Wednesday 5th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 6:30pm, Start time: 6:30pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Poetry Open Mic
A Portsmouth structure
| 0 | SOUTHSEA: Hunter Gatherer Coffee |
|---|---|
| P | Wednesday 5th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:30pm |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
Finding words and pictures
No tickets available
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Beddow Library |
|---|---|
| P | Thursday 6th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Other |
If all the world's a stage...then where are all the Black actors, directors and producers?
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Thursday 6th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Try to find me
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Southsea Library |
|---|---|
| P | Friday 7th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 6:30pm, Start time: 6:30pm |
| . | 16 and over |
| C | Literature |
Crime Bites 2: A new direction
From cosy crime to writing crime for teens with Sarah Harris and Josie Lloyd
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Friday 7th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 7:00pm, Start time: 7:00pm |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
Crime Bites 3
Blood spatter, boats and bodies with crime author Pauline Rowson
| 0 | PORTSMOUTH: Central Library |
|---|---|
| P | Saturday 8th March, 2025 |
| N | Door time: 10:30am, Start time: 10:30am |
| . | All ages |
| C | Literature |
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