Festival Information
South West
Overview
Cheltenham Literature Festival is a long-running, town-based festival dedicated to the written and spoken word. The programme centres on talks, readings and discussions with authors, poets, journalists and thinkers, alongside events designed for families and younger audiences.
The festival combines ticketed headline events with a wide range of free talks, workshops and public sessions, creating a programme that spans literature, politics, history, science and culture. Events take place across theatres, civic buildings and temporary festival spaces, allowing audiences to move between venues and explore the town during the festival period.
Alongside the main public programme, Cheltenham Literature Festival also runs a dedicated Literature for Schools strand, offering structured events and workshops for pupils and educators during the festival.
Line-up
View the
official What's On page.
Note: Line-ups can evolve/change closer to the event — check back regularly to stay up to date.
Festival Capacity: ≈10,000–20,000 per day
Cheltenham Literature Festival does not publish an official daily capacity. Recent editions report over 100,000 ticket-holders across the full festival period, with attendance distributed across multiple venues and days. Average daily ticketed attendance is estimated at around 10,000, with significantly higher numbers on peak weekend days. These figures refer to ticketed events only and do not include free events, staff, authors, or casual visitors.
Location
Cheltenham Literature Festival is centred on Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham, GL50 1UL, with additional events taking place across venues throughout the town.
Travel and parking guidance is provided on the festival’s official How To Get Here page.
The festival is centred around a Festival Village in Montpellier Gardens, which acts as a focal point for the programme and includes a range of free public activities. Alongside this, ticketed events take place at venues such as Cheltenham Town Hall, the Everyman Theatre and other theatres and cultural spaces across the town.
Details for individual venues, including location, travel information and accessibility notes, can be found on the festival’s official Literature Venues page.
Tickets
Basic Price Range: Free - £60
This price range aims to give a general indication of the lowest and highest prices typically available, including child tickets. Always check the official ticket page for current pricing.
Cheltenham Literature Festival uses an event-by-event ticketing model, with tickets booked individually for talks, readings, performances and family activities.
The festival’s What’s On page allows events to be filtered by date, time, event type and price, making it easier to explore the programme and plan attendance.
As events take place across multiple venues, practical details such as travel, parking and accessibility can vary by location. Venue-specific information is available on the festival’s official Literature Venues page.
Important Ticket Information
Tickets should be purchased via the official festival website or linked venue box offices. Ticket terms, refund policies, age guidance and access arrangements are set by the festival or hosting venues and are outlined on individual event pages.
Accommodation
Cheltenham Literature Festival is not a camping festival. You will need to make your own accommodation arrangements in Cheltenham or the surrounding area.
A wide range of hotels, guest houses and serviced accommodation can be found via the official Visit Cheltenham website.
Packing Checklist:
Ensure you are fully prepared for your festival adventure with our Essential Packing Checklist.
Accessibility
Cheltenham Literature Festival aims to support accessible and inclusive attendance. Information on accessible bookings, companion tickets and venue access can be found on the festival’s dedicated Accessible Booking page.
As events take place across multiple venues, access provision may vary. Venue-specific accessibility details are available on the festival’s Literature Venues page.
