Weardale WordFest is a community book festival set in the stunning North Pennines landscape of Weardale, County Durham.

We invite all lovers of books and reading to enjoy our free, friendly and informal events. Join us to meet regional authors, to experience the joys of reading and to explore the world of writing for yourself.

Join us on Saturday 5 August, 2023 for the Weardale Authors’ Book Fair at St. Thomas Church Hall, Stanhope and a day of exciting activities for children on the Weardale Story Train. This year’s Weardale WordFest Weekend is 27— 29 October, St. Thomas Church Hall; look out for the WordFest writing workshops happening throughout Weardale in the weeks leading up to the festival.

Contributors

Visit our contributor section to learn more about our authors and workshop leaders.

Learn more

Contributors

Visit our contributor section to learn more about our authors and workshop leaders.

Learn more

Workshops

You will find all the information you need about the workshops and how to book your place by scrolling across the menu at the bottom of the page. Just click on the workshop(s) that interest you.

Blogs

Visit our blog for news, information and advice.

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Theatre Writing Project for and About the North Pennines

Want to get involved in an exciting new writing project and create some theatre for [...]

Preparations for 2023 are underway

The snowdrops have been and gone, ditto the crocuses. Spring is poking her sleepy head [...]

Weardale WordFest 2022

2022 saw WordFest spread its wings and become what we’d hoped for from the beginning, [...]

The Loss of Hilary Mantel – Writer in the Shadows

Here at the Weardale WordFest we are shocked and saddened to hear of the death [...]

My Life in Books – Jamie Tucknutt

As part of our Life in Books series, we are delighted to welcome, Wordfest team [...]

Short and Sweet, is this the Future of the Literary Festival?

Those of you who’ve come along to the Weardale WordFest in previous years will know [...]