Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

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Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival

14-21 October 2019

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Olivia Lomenech Gill, the award-winning illustrator of JK Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Olivia Lomenech Gill
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For its seventh year, Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival is still thinking big, with a week-long stretch from Monday 14 to Monday 21 October across various venues. More than just your average book festival – it’s the ideas bit that makes the difference, and they’ve got plenty. As well as literature, creative writing and spoken word, you’ll find drama, music, comedy, dance, current affairs and plenty for the kids and young people – expect exciting arts for all ages.

From former poet laureate Dame Carol Ann Duffy to Chocolat author Joanne Harris MBE, internationally acclaimed writers and thinkers have played an important part in Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival’s development. This year is no exception, with television presenter John Craven popping in, along with feel-good fiction writer Milly Johnson, hosting afternoon tea at Rochdale Town Hall and reading from her latest novel, The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew, which made the top five of the Sunday Times bestseller list.

Author Hanna Jameson.
Author Hanna Jameson.

Also here are Gogglebox star and broadcaster Reverend Kate Bottley, children’s author and TV presenter Konnie Huq, author and autism, invisible disability and LGBTQIA+ activist Erin Ekins, international bestselling crime author and poet Sophie Hannah, popular children’s authors Harry Heape and Hannah Lee, as well as Olivia Lomenech Gill, the award-winning illustrator of JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as well as Michael Morpurgo’s Where My Wellies Take Me.

From former poet laureate Dame Carol Ann Duffy to Chocolat author Joanne Harris MBE, internationally acclaimed writers and thinkers have played an important part in Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival’s development

The festival will launch with a very special event: the unveiling of a new blue plaque at Touchstones Rochdale in honour of local couple Annie and Frank Maskew, who met in Rochdale Library in the 1950s and shared a passion for reading and thinking – so much so that they donated a generous bequest which made the Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival possible.

We’re looking forward to the ‘Women Who Write: Dystopia’ event on Wednesday 16 October, when Hanna Jameson, bestselling author of end-of-the-world novel The Last, and Fiona Shaw, author of YA hit Outwalkers, will be talking about the concept of dystopia and the impact of female writers on the genre. Discussing the rise and revival of women-driven dystopian fiction, from Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel-turned-weirdly-popular TV series The Handmaid’s Tale to Naomi Alderman’s recent award-winner The Power, this is set to be an interesting and thought-provoking evening.

Lancashire-based American fiction and creative nonfiction writer, and co-organiser of Lancaster’s popular Stories At The Storey, Yvonne Battle-Felton appears on Friday 18 October, reading from her debut novel Remembered, a powerful story of segregation and slavery, recently longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.

The Festival culminates with Tales From The Town Hall, taking place in the iconic Gothic-style building with an exclusive performance of the winning competition entry for the playwright competition for young people aged 14-25 in Rochdale. 22-year-old Riz Ali’s play was chosen from a stellar line-up of entries, and is currently being mentored by TV and stage scriptwriter Nicola Schofield to turn her entry into a 30-minute play. It will be performed at the finale event, which includes a tour of Rochdale Town Hall and a drinks reception. Tickets for all events are available now. For the full line-up and details of venues and to book tickets, see the festival website.

Where to go near Rochdale Literature & Ideas Festival

Penistone Hill Country Park
Bradford
Park
Penistone Hill Country Park

As part of Bradford 2025’s UK City of Culture programme, Penistone Hill plays host to outdoor events that celebrate the enduring connection between landscape, identity and creativity.

Threshold is an artist-led project space for sculpture, located in the front garden of a traditional back-to-back house in Burley, Leeds. Exhibitions are open for all to view. Encounter sculpture on your daily walk, or way to work or school.
Leeds
Event venue
Threshold Leeds

Threshold is an artist-led project space for sculpture, located in the front garden of a traditional back-to-back house in Burley, Leeds.

The Engine Room Notice Board
Southport
Event venue
The Engine Room

The Engine Room is a creative community hub in Southport’s Wayfarers Arcade, offering co-working space, cultural events and collaborative opportunities for artists, freelancers and educators.

Leeds
Gallery
The Mill Gallery

The Mill Gallery is an artist-run space in Leeds, supporting emerging artists to develop and showcase their work authentically.

Church congregation at St George's Church in Leeds
Leeds
Place of worship
St George’s Church

St George’s is a lively city centre church in Leeds with three services every Sunday and a midweek programme that includes groups, courses and events. We’re here to help people

Picante
Liverpool
Restaurant
Picante

Picante is a sun-soaked Mexican restaurant at the trailblazing Cains Brewery Village in Liverpool.

Miru Mill
Manchester
Event venue
Miru Mill

Miru Mill is an event space and micro-factory based at Churchgate Mill in Stockport.

Spa
iglu sauna

An authentic and affordable sauna and cold plunge experience in Hebden Bridge, in a beautiful outdoor setting amongst the trees.

What's on: Literature

Roy Macfarlane
LiteratureManchester
Roy Macfarlane at Manchester Poetry Library

As part of the Poetry Reading Series at Manchester Poetry Library, Canal Laureate Roy Macfarlane will be in conversation with the series curator and award-winning poet Helen Mort.

Free entry
Luke Samuel Yates
LiteratureLeeds
Chemistry at The Chemic

Leeds live literature regular Chemistry offers an exciting mix of open mic acts and invited poets – this month the headliners are Helen Ivory and Luke Samuel Yates.

Free entry
An image of Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a black middle-aged woman with long hair in a red top, looking directly at the camera with a warm expression. Look for a book
Until
FamiliesManchester
Look for a Book

Kick off Festival of Libraries 2025 with out-of-this-world book searching across Manchester.

Free entry
Tom Branfoot. Photo Eleanor Hall, Museum of the Home
LiteratureWest Yorkshire
Poetry at the Dusty Miller

Poetry at the Dusty Miller is a now regular night with invited readers, organised by Carcanet-published Carola Luther and Judith Willson in the Coiners’ Room in the Mytholmroyd pub.

Free entry

Culture Guides

portrait of Lorsung in a dark shirt with dark hair and dark round glasses
Literature Events in the North

There's a lot of experimentation going on in our Literature guide, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Three men sit next to each other. One's head is bandaged, one holds a torch and one wears a sleepmask.
Cinema in the North

Live scores, midnight movies and the latest from Wes Anderson are just some of our upcoming film highlights.

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

Experience a unique deep listening art installation inviting audiences to lay down and be bathed in sound and light.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.