All ages welcome, under 18s must be accompanied by adult (18+).

Taking place across various venues including Dreamland, Droit House (Thanet Visitor Info Centre) and Turner Contemporary. 

The literary festival by the sea brings a stellar line-up to Margate, which includes Deborah Levy, Adam Kay, A.C. Grayling, Sathnam Sanghera, Andi Osho, Yomi Adegoke, Rob Newman, Mat Osman, Miki Berenyi, Ian Dunt and Daisy Buchanan.

Featuring poetry and music, comedy and art, politics and fiction, and an extensive fun-packed children’s programme, the Bookie has plenty to encourage young and old to dive into books.

This October we are looking forward to welcoming leading authors and new visitors to the delights of Margate, to promote local creative talent and to help build an inclusive hub for readers and writers across Thanet. The programme this year features creative writing workshops, a poetry slam headlined by UK Poetry Slam Champion Rick Dove and two full days of children’s events.

Perfectly timed for October half-term the Bookie children’s programme is jam packed with brilliant authors to keep kids of all ages entertained. Adam Kay and fellow comedian and illustrator Henry Paker will be tickling funny bones on Saturday and Sathnam Sanghera kickstarts Sunday with his family-friendly adaption, Stolen History, taking kids on an illuminating tour of the hidden secrets and stories of the British Empire over four centuries.

Kids will find lots to make them laugh and fire their imaginations with authors including Roopa Farooki (Double Detectives), Garry Parsons (The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet), Paul Deslandes (The Garden Monster), John Condon (The Pirates are Coming), Gianna Pollero (Monster Doughnuts), Anna Orenstein (The Tree of Hope),Tamara McFarlane (The Book of Mysteries, Magic and the Unexplained), Sam Gayton (World Weavers), Tamara Rattigan (Everybody’s Special), Susie Darnton (A Dance in the Moon Garden), Zoe Antoniedes (Cally and Jimmy) and Mr Gilbert Giggles (Master of Disaster) as our special MC.