Lauren Crisp is a book editor, writer and keen follower of arts and culture. Born and raised in Harrogate, Lauren recently moved back to North Yorkshire after a stint in London, where she regularly reviewed theatre – everything from big West End shows to small fringe productions. She is now eager to explore the culture on offer in and around her home town.  You can contact Lauren on laurencrispwriter@gmail.com. 

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For a fortnight in October, the charming town of Ilkley buzzes as bookworms unite for the UK’s second longest-running book festival.

Now in its impressive 50th year, and with more than 90 events spanning 17 days across various venues, 2023’s festival programme caters to every kind of reader. I was eager to get a taste for the Ilkley Literature Festival over the course of its opening weekend.

First on my agenda was Jacqueline Wilson, celebrated author of countless children’s novels, who took to the stage to an audience of enthralled youngsters to discuss the inspiration behind her hugely popular books and to talk about her latest (117th!) penning, The Best Sleepover in the World. This was one of several events on the festival’s programme geared towards children, and it was exciting to see a room filled with young, enthusiastic book-lovers, just at the start of their reading journeys.

Next up was something wholly different, as father-and-son duo David and Ben Crystal discussed Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life, their latest co-authored book with a quote for each day of the year. Entertaining and insightful, the pair persuaded me (and many other people, if the queue for buying a signed book was anything to go by) that the Bard’s work, rather than daunting, can actually be rather fun.

Neurodiversity was the key theme of Melanie Sykes’ event, in which the presenter and broadcaster discussed her memoir, Illuminated, written in the wake of a late diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Sykes spoke extremely candidly of her life, career and struggles, with great authenticity and humour.

I then took a detour into the world of ecology at author Sophie Pavelle’s event. She recounted, eloquently and passionately, the tale of her journey around the UK, exploring 10 animals and habitats that are being impacted by climate change, from the harbour porpoise to the mountain hare, which provided the basis of her debut, Forget Me Not.

I concluded my festival tour with a suitably Yorkshire-themed talk, listening to Rick Broadbent, Times writer, exiled Yorkshireman and author of Now Then: A Biography of Yorkshire. Broadbent went down a storm with his local audience, recounting many a Yorkshire tale, including that of the night Jimi Hendrix stopped off in Ilkley to perform a (very brief) gig.

The events I attended were but a glimpse of what this delightfully friendly and accessible festival has on offer. I came away from the weekend feeling invigorated by the diversity of creativity and ideas in what had been just a taster of the programme’s events, and I’d absolutely go back for more. Running until Sunday 22 October, there’s plenty of time to catch one of your favourite authors on stage, or to see something entirely unfamiliar and thought-provoking.

Upcoming headliners include all-round favourite Gyles Brandreth, food writer Grace Dent, comedian Shaparak Khorsandi, journalist Gavin Esler and broadcaster Clare Balding, plus many more; for the philosophers, there’s AC Grayling, and for the Strictly-lovers, Anton Du Beke. For the poetry fans, there is a whole day dedicated to the art form on Saturday 14 October.

Music, food, sport and politics all have a place, and with fringe performances, quizzes, workshops and walks, there’s oodles to do and see in this small town on the edge of the world-famous moor. And when you’re all book-wormed out, a bracing pint at The Cow and Calf is ready and waiting.

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Read more:

• Interview with Maisie Adam: The Harrogate-born comedian talks Frank’s Fund and more


• Review: An Audience with Barrie Rutter at Ripon Arts Hub

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