Belfast Book Festival 2025
- Team @ The Belfast Review
- Mar 17
- 4 min read
Press Release from The Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast
Book lovers encouraged to Save the Date for Belfast Book Festival 2025
Photo Credit: Brian Morrison
Audiences are encouraged to save the date for this year’s Belfast Book Festival that will take place 5-12 June at The Crescent Arts Centre with a full programme announcement and tickets going live in April 2025.
After a sold-out preview event on Tuesday 11 March which saw Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody discuss his new novel with author and Book Festival patron, Lucy Caldwell, it’s clear the appetite for the written word and a celebration of books in Belfast is in demand.
This year will mark the 15th edition of The Festival and audiences are in for a treat with a promising programme of poetry, contemporary fiction, crime writing, the art of journalism, words on film and a striking and a memorable exhibition in The Crescent’s Cafe space.
The Belfast Book Festival offers a vibrant range of events and activities for adults and children. It offers the perfect platform for conversations, workshops, residencies and Awards that seek to connect, amplify and showcase the creative communities of Belfast and beyond.
As well as celebrating current contemporary literature across multiple art forms, this year’s Festival will also reflect upon those who have greatly shaped and left their mark with commemorative events to honour both Michael Langley and Edna O’Brien.
Previous years have seen participants such as Margaret Drabble, Kevin Barry, Colm Tóibín, Cecelia Ahern, Fergal Keane, Kevin Barry, Jacqueline Wilson, Lucy Caldwell, AC Grayling and Paul Lynch take part in programming. Alongside a representation of the established in the literary scene, The Festival also runs the annual Mairtín Crawford Awards that enable support for emerging and up-and-coming writers.
Named after the beloved writer and poet who was a significant figure in Northern Ireland's literary community. The Awards are aimed at writers working towards their first full collection of poetry, short stories, or a novel. Both published and unpublished writers are invited to apply. Submissions are currently open with a deadline of Wednesday 9 April and all winners will be announced at this year’s Belfast Book Festival.
Sophie Hayles, CEO of The Crescent Arts Centre says:
‘The Festival proudly pins Belfast City on the international literary map and offers easy access to books, author events and performances all under the one roof - in a cherished heritage building at the heart of the city.
Since its inception in 2010, the Belfast Book Festival has grown from strength to strength and has since become the largest and most diverse literary festival in Northern Ireland.
We’re really looking forward to this year’s programme, there’s some big hitters on there as well as a championing of upcoming and emerging talent - something for everyone, those who are avid readers and those looking to turn the page.’
Not only does The Crescent host an urban, accessible and vibrant Book Festival but it boasts an all-year-round programme of events and workshops, a cafe with seasonal selections, and uniquely - it houses one of the largest colonies of Swifts on the island of Ireland.
The birds migrate each year from Mozambique and have been taking refuge and residence in the eaves of The Crescent every April to August for over a century. A visual treat that offers a unique cultural heritage to a modern festival - with many audiences witnessing these amazing aviators across the eight days of the book fest programme.
To mark The Festival’s launch, audiences are encouraged to ‘Take a Shelfie’ on Wednesday 30 April - sharing a photo of themselves alongside a selection of their favourite books on their bookshelf and posting it across their social media channels with the hashtag #BelfastBookFestival - making sure to tag The Crescent.
The full festival programme and tickets will be announced later next month with all tickets available on a pay-what-you-can scale so that audiences can focus on the joy of living, not the cost of living. For more information on submission guidelines and entry deadlines for the Mairtín Crawford Award, please visit: https://belfastbookfestival.com/mairtin-crawford-award
For now, book lovers should keep their eyes on the Crescent Arts Centre social media channels for further announcements and their timely reminder to get it booked.
About Crescent Arts Centre
Crescent Arts Centre is well-known for its longstanding programme of creative Courses and Workshop, spanning pop dance to poetry to pottery and everything in between. Its high-spec performance space offers a range of gigs, conversations, and dance. A café, a Free Little Library, and the offices of 10 creative companies can all be found in its beautiful Victorian building in South Belfast.
About Belfast Book Festival
2025 marks the 15th edition of the Belfast Book Festival - an annual celebration of literature, storytelling, and creativity held at Crescent Arts Centre.
*end press release
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