A three-day celebration of arts & culture - taking place in venues across the city - Wolverhampton Literature Festival makes a welcome return this month (Friday 6 - Sunday 8 February). ​You can check out the full 2026 Festival programme at wolvesliteraturefestival.co.uk

Whether you’re fascinated by the inner workings of an author’s mind, a sucker for immersive storytelling or a fan of live performance, the festival offers a diverse range of events to enjoy - including a dedicated children’s programme on Saturday the 7th. Here are just a few of the weekend’s highlights...

Wild Folk People, With Beans On Toast - Fri 6 Feb, 7.30pm, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Folk singer Beans On Toast leads a heartwarming and rebellious celebration of the extraordinary characters who’ve inspired his latest book, Wild Folk People.

From Brazilian artists and Yorkshire publicans, to land rights activists and family legends, this is a celebration of people he’s met on his travels. Honest, funny and full of soul, it’s a book about connection, creativity and the beautiful mess of being alive.

Onjali Q. Raúf: Stories That Change The World! - Sat 7 Feb, 11am, Wolves Central Library

Experience an inspirational morning with award-winning children’s author Onjali Q Raúf, who shares the powerful stories behind her much-loved books - including her critically acclaimed debut offering, The Boy At The Back Of The Class.

Children and their grown-ups are invited to join Onjali for this event, which promises to illuminate her heartwarming stories and the real-life global issues behind them.

Sh*tty Breaks: Celebrating Unsung Cities - Sat 7 Feb, 1pm, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Not everything that glitters is gold - which is why Ben Aitken, the author of A Chip Shop In Poznan and The Gran Tour, gave Venice a miss in favour of visiting Wolverhampton.

Ben knew from experience that unfashionable places could be quietly brilliant, so he visited 12 of the least popular city-break spots in the UK and Ireland, in the process aiming not only to have a nice time but also uncover some hidden gems.

In Conversation With... Kit de Waal - Sat 7 Feb, 3pm, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Enjoy an intimate afternoon with one of the UK’s most cherished literary voices...

Acclaimed author Kit de Waal takes to the stage for a special In Conversation event to celebrate the paperback release of her powerful new novel, The Best Of Everything.

In this thought-provoking get-together, Kit explores the themes at the heart of her latest work: the complexities of love, the weight of loss, and the unpredictable paths life can take. 

Ryan Sinclair: Please No Photos - Sun 8 Feb, 5pm, space (Castle St)

Ryan’s raw and rhythmically driven spoken word/comedy show explores the social anxiety of a young man who avoids having his photo taken...

This powerful new work uses poetry as performance, inviting audiences to laugh, reflect and possibly rethink how they view the camera lens - and themselves...

Flexus Dance Collective: Humanity - Sun 8 Feb, 1pm & 2pm, Mander Centre

Following the success of their showcase last year, Flexus Dance Collective return to Wolverhampton Literature Festival with a pop-up performance.

Produced by Flexus and presented by Sterran Dance, Humanity is an inspiring exhibition of dance, live music and storytelling that celebrates the richness of human experience and the resilience of the human spirit.