Words by the Water

Words by the Water 2025 will be held Wednesday March 12th - Sunday March 16th at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

What started life as a short 3 day festival in Keswick 25 years ago, flourished and expanded to become a 10 day literary feast of a festival which brought enormous joy to so many people.

An exciting development in the future of the festival is a new working partnership between independent Keswick bookshop Bookends' owners, Gwenda and Lucy Matthews and Words by the Water organiser, Leah Varnell. 

Bookends director Lucy Matthews is enthusiastic about the return of the festival: 'For over 20 years, selling books at the Words by the Water festival has been an annual highlight for Bookends and a new era dawned in 2024 as we adopted the mantle of festival co-organisers alongside Leah Varnell . The festival was a wonderful experience and the Keswick community responded so warmly and enthusiastically that we knew we wanted to do it all again! We do hope you all enjoy the mix of fascinating topics, high profile names and local talent in the 2025 programme’ 

Leah shared the same excitement after the festival's return 'It has been a really challenging few years in the arts but we are absolutely delighted to be back in full force to share ideas and bring the Words by the Water festival community back together. I’m looking forward again to March 2025 and hope to see lots of book enthusiasts– new and old – at the theatre - back in the familiar Springtime slot’

Simon Stephens, Executive Director of Theatre by the Lake also welcomed the return of the festival in 2024 ”Words by the Water has always been an extremely popular event at the theatre and we know audiences have missed it in recent years. We were really excited for the return of the festival and to be hosting a truly wonderful celebration of literature once again. Now, we look forward to March 2025!'