Plymouth has its book festival back and it is all thanks to a 24-year-old who works full time alongside organising the event.
After nearly a decade since the last event, the Plymouth Literary Festival has returned this weekend to the Portland Square Building on the University of Plymouth campus.
Behind the revival is festival director Katie Geraghty, who has balanced the demands of a full time job while rebuilding the citywide event from the ground up.
Bringing together local authors and readers, the event has already drawn strong support from the community, with more than 300 people expected.
The festival’s return comes during the National Year of Reading 2026, a nationwide effort to encourage more people to rediscover books in an increasingly digital world.
It also comes at a significant time for the city as Plymouth bids to become the UK City of Culture in 2029.
Katie said bringing the festival back had been a major personal challenge but one she felt was vital for Plymouth’s cultural life. She said:
“Bringing the Plymouth Literary Festival back after so many years has been an incredible journey.
"I work full time alongside organising this, but I truly believe Plymouth deserves a space where stories, creativity and imagination can thrive.
“Plymouth is bidding to become the City of Culture for 2029, so this is a really important time to showcase the culture and creativity we have in the city.”
Despite the dominance of social media and technology, interest in reading among young people has been rising, with growing demand for creative spaces and literary events. Katie added:
"Strong literacy skills are essential for young people’s future opportunities, so encouraging reading from an early age is incredibly important.
"Even in the digital age we are seeing more young people engage with books and creative writing, and that shows there is a real appetite for literature and community events like this.”
Katie hopes the festival will now become a yearly event in Plymouth’s cultural calendar.
People can still visit Sunday’s events from 10am to 4pm. Full details and booking information can be found on the Plymouth Literary Festival website.
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