Petworth in West Sussex seems to be a hotbed of creativity, and this seems to manifest itself in the many Petworth festivals which take place throughout the year. In 2026, Petworth Literary Festival will run from 23 October to 7 November.
Petworth Festival
The festival is spread across six venues which are:
- Coultershaw Heritage Site
- Champs Hill at Coldwaltham
- Leconfield Hall in Petworth
- Petworth House
- Midhurst Rother College in Midhurst
- St Mary’s Church Petworth
- The Stables at Petworth
- Sacred Heart Church, Petworth
- Sofas and Stuff
- Seaford College
Every summer, for more than two weeks, Petworth and the surrounding villages and towns become a stage. World-class classical musicians rub shoulders with jazz, comedy and world music, with performances taking place in some wonderfully atmospheric and sometimes unexpected venues. Alongside established names, the festival has also become an important platform for emerging talent.
And it doesn’t end when summer does. The Petworth Literary Festival, launched in 2011, brings leading authors and public figures to the town each autumn, while the Petworth Proms, introduced in 2024 in partnership with the National Trust, adds another rather special experience: classical music performed within the magnificent surroundings of Petworth House.
For all its big names and impressive performances, however, the festival remains firmly rooted in its community. New talent is actively championed, while outreach work includes school songwriting projects and collaborations with organisations including the Royal Academy of Music, Leeds International Piano Competition, the National Trust at Petworth House and West Sussex Music. Nearly half a century after it began, the Petworth Festival has become much more than a date in the cultural diary. It is part of the rhythm of the town itself.
The festival starts with a festival service at St Mary’s led by the Bishop of Horsham which leads into an absolute smorgasbord of cultural events which include art exhibitions, talks, musical recitals, and performances of every description, comedy, walks and theatrical productions. The highlights are almost too many to mention!
An extraordinary array
The Petworth Literary Festival brings a remarkably stellar cast of writers, broadcasters, thinkers and household names to the town each autumn. The 2026 programme ranges from bestselling crime writers Peter James and Lynda La Plante to novelists Victoria Hislop and Sebastian Faulks, alongside Prue Leith, Mary Portas, Rick Wakeman, Julian Lloyd Webber, Kate Mosse, Sarah Raven, Mike Batt and former Supreme Court president Lady Hale. There are talks, conversations, workshops and plenty of topical themes too: former BBC science editor David Shukman discusses our changing climate, while Kylie Fitzpatrick explores the extraordinary story of the Bayeux Tapestry at a particularly timely moment, with the 11th-century masterpiece on display in London. With events unfolding across several days and some of the biggest names already selling out, the festival has become one of the highlights of Petworth’s cultural calendar.
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