This year’s Henley Literary Festival reached our biggest audience ever with over 25,200 tickets to the public events sold, 2,674 school children in person and over 18,000 people watched from around the world online including in schools and care homes.
Highlights from The Fane Stage at the Henley Literary Festival Marquee
Our flagship marquee attracted a record 16,000 ticket-holders to Phyllis Court – with another 18,000 streaming live from around the country and beyond! Capacity crowds relished seeing national treasures Joanna Lumley, Michael Palin, Mary Berry, David Suchet and Graham Norton as well as international bestsellers Jung Chang, Mick Herron, Mary Beard and Elif Shafak.
Over 10 days the Fane Stage also hosted the Poet Laureate, three Children’s Laureates, the Archbishop of York, a Michelin chef, England’s most-capped men’s rugby player – and the Downton double bill of Hugh Bonneville and the Countess of Carnarvon!
Highlights from the Gower Cottage Brownies Stage at the Town Hall
From hundreds of audience ‘I love yous’ at the urging of poet Salena Godden to a spontaneous standing ovation for Post Office Scandal campaigner Jo Hamilton, Henley Town Hall enjoyed its busiest, buzziest week of the year.
Some 7,000 ticket-holders visited for events featuring children’s authors, columnists, crime writers, food critics, football managers, historians, Laithwaites Wine School, award-winning novelists, and sitcom stars from Blackadder, Gavin & Stacey and The Young Ones!
Highlights from The Relais Henley
Our hotel partner achieved its highest footfall and cafe sales ever as thousands of ticket-holders packed out the stunning Salon for, among many others: a world exclusive glimpse into the next phase of the James Bond universe; a Busby & Fox fashion show; a Mr Men singalong; leading experts on ADHD, the SAS and the UN; an interactive murder mystery; and two events where authors were joined by their dogs on stage!
Pop-ups and beyond into 2026...
Throughout the year, our pop-up series included the welcome return of the much-loved River Readings events, the inaugural Henley Literary Festival Supper Club in partnership with Laithwaites Wine, a cosy winter double sell-out event at The Bottle & Glass Inn featuring Jojo Moyes and Pollyanna Wilkinson. Meanwhile, the Christ Church Centre hosted amazing crowds for Matt Haig, Tom Kerridge and David Walliams, before ending the year with an incredible finale from Marina Wheeler, Rick Stein and John Cleese.
2026 brings with it a very special anniversary for the festival, and we can’t wait to announce our first pop-ups shortly.