Books Alive! Literature Festival Southport 2026 — half-term family events

24–31 October 2026October Half-Term · Multiple Venues · Free

Books Alive!Southport 2026

Southport's family literature festival across October half-term. Storytelling installations, author performances, workshops, and events at venues across the town. Mostly free.

What's On Southport 2026 Programme

24–31 Oct

When

October half-term

Town Centre

Where

Multiple venues

One Week

Duration

Full festival week

Mostly Free

Cost

Some ticketed events

Terry's Take

Half-Term in Southport Just Got More Interesting

October half-term with four kids is a logistical problem that needs to be solved seven days in a row. Books Alive! is a genuinely useful addition to the half-term calendar, free events, indoor venues, and programming that is designed for children rather than tolerating their presence.

The festival is new for 2026 as part of the Elegantly Eccentric programme. Storytelling installations across the town centre are the kind of thing my kids would actually engage with, interactive, exploratory, spread across multiple venues so you are moving between things rather than sitting still. The Atkinson is the obvious hub, with the library and gallery and workshop space all in one building.

More details will come as the programme is confirmed closer to the date. Check the Southport 2026 and Atkinson websites for updates. Worth putting in the diary now.

The Festival

What to Expect

📚

Storytelling Installations

Large-scale storytelling installations across Southport town centre, designed to be discovered as you move between venues. The kind of thing that works for all ages.

✍️

Author Performances

Author events and performances across the festival week. Mix of children's authors and other writers. Some may require booking, check the programme as it is released.

🎨

Workshops

Hands-on creative writing and literacy workshops, particularly at The Atkinson. Some free, some ticketed. Suitable for different age groups.

🏛️

The Atkinson Hub

The Atkinson on Lord Street is the main hub, gallery, theatre, library, and workshop spaces all under one roof. The library is an obvious anchor point for a literature festival.

🛍️

Multiple Venues

The festival is designed to be walked, events across The Atkinson, Southport Market, Wayfarers Arcade, and other town centre venues. A good way to see a different side of Southport.

🍂

October Half-Term

Week of 24–31 October covers the Sefton schools October half-term. Specific school holiday dates may vary, check your school. The festival runs across the full week.

Common Questions

Books Alive!. FAQs

When is Books Alive! in Southport 2026?

Books Alive! Southport 2026 runs from Saturday 24 October to Saturday 31 October 2026, a week across the October half-term school holiday.

What is Books Alive! in Southport?

Books Alive! is Southport's family literature festival, a week-long programme of storytelling installations, author performances, and workshops aimed at children and families. It takes place at venues across Southport town centre, with a focus on making literature accessible and engaging for young audiences.

Is Books Alive! free?

The majority of Books Alive! events are free. Some ticketed workshops and author events may require booking. Check the Books Alive! programme for the specific events and any associated costs.

Is Books Alive! suitable for families?

Yes. Books Alive! is specifically designed as a family literature festival. Events are tailored to different age groups from young children to teenagers. It is one of Southport's key family events of the autumn.

Where do Books Alive! events take place?

Books Alive! takes place at multiple venues across Southport town centre, including The Atkinson on Lord Street (gallery, theatre, and library), Southport Market, Wayfarers Arcade, and other town centre locations. The festival is designed to be walked between venues.

Is this the first year of Books Alive! in Southport?

Books Alive! is part of the Southport 2026: Elegantly Eccentric programme, the town's year of culture. The format of a literature festival in October is new for 2026. Check the Southport 2026 website for programme details as they are announced.

Books Alive! · 24–31 October 2026