Whitby Lit Fest 2026 – A Riviera Guesthouse Guide
Look forward to Whitby Lit Fest 2026, Thursday 19th 20th 21st and 22nd November 2026 at venues across Whitby.
Here at the Riviera Guesthouse, we are close to the action with all venues within easy walking distance.
Event prices apply and some have already sold out!
Find out more about the festival here.
Thursday 19th November
10:00AM
Seaside Sleuth
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Jess Kidd interviewed by Kate Fenton
10:30AM
The Wirefolk of Whitby
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Emma Stothard and Tim Kell
12:00PM
Different Minds, Deadly Mysteries
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Sarah Hilary and Matt Baker in conversation
1:30PM
Queens of Goth
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Laura Purcell in conversation with Amanda Mason
1:30PM
Show, Not Tell
Whitby Library, Windsor Terrace, Whitby, YO21 1EY
Writing Workshop with Julie Noble
SOLD OUT
3:00PM
The Golden Hours – The Cazalet Chronicles: A Literary Legacy
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Louisa Young interviewed by Kate Fenton
3:00PM
ALL ABOARD! Tales from a Yorkshire Steam Railway
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Paul ‘Piglet’ Middleton – Interviewer to be confirmed
5:00PM
A Deadly Dance
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Mark Billingham interviewed by Luca Veste
7:00PM
Caught in the Sticky Resin of a Poem
Jet Black Jewel Hotel & Cafe Bar, 10 Skinner Street, Whitby, YO21 3AH
Jenny Hill with Bob Butterfield
SOLD OUT
7:00PM
Proper: Si King
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Interviewed by Kate Fenton
8:30PM
Zaffar Kunial: One of Britain’s Most Exciting Poetic Voices
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Award-winning poet Zaffar Kunial provides a captivating celebration of language, identity and place.
Friday 20th November
10:00AM
Out of Colditz
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
David Lascelles interviewed by Kate Fenton
11:00AM
Valley Press: A Poet’s Journey – INDUSTRY DAY
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Jamie McGarry and Charlotte Oliver
1 1:30AM
It’s me, it’s Cathy!
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Essie Fox and Jess Kidd, chaired by Amanda Mason
11:30AM
From Dickens to Depp: Bringing Dickens to the Screen
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
Lucinda Hawksley and James Clarke
11:30AM
Greta Scacchi: My Life in Books
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Greta Scacchi in conversation with Peter Guttridge
SOLD OUT
12:30PM
Inside Independent Publishing – INDUSTRY DAY
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Chris Hamilton-Emery, R.A. Marno and Christiana Spens
1:00PM
Entitled: The Royal Biographer Who Took Down a Prince
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Andrew Lownie interviewed by Kate Fenton
2:00PM
HarperNorth – How to Get into Publishing
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Do you want to get into publishing, either as an author or working in the industry itself?
2:30PM
What the Dickens?
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Elly Griffiths interviewed by Lucinda Hawksley
2:30PM
A Trio of Poets: Good Things Come in Threes
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Prof John Whale, Rachel Bower, and Matt Howard
3:00PM
Writing Workshop: Thrutopia with Kate Evans
Whitby Library, Windsor Terrace, Whitby, YO21 1EY
What future are you imagining? Thrutopia is a new and developing genre, part of the Cli-Fi stable, which imagines a more sustainable future
5:00PM
From Page to Screen
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Matt Baker, David Quantick & Louise Wilder
5:00PM
Sleepers in the Snow
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Joanne Harris interviewed by Robert Edgar
7:00PM
The Weight of Angels
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
John Boyne interviewed by Steph McGovern
7:00PM
The North Sea: A Seaside Pilgrimage
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Alistair Moffat
SOLD OUT
9:00PM
An evening with poet Harry Gallagher & folk duo Miggins Fiddle
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Join poet Harry and his friends Miggins Fiddle for a wonderful evening of poetry, stories and music.
9:00PM
Sweet Dreams: Night Baby
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Lucie McKnight Hardy with Amanda Mason, chaired by Rob Edgar
Saturday 21st November
10:00AM
Lifeboat at the End of the World
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Dominic Gregory interviewed by Ceri Oakes and Emma Ryan of The Whitby Anchor.
10:30AM
Children’s Writing Competition featuring Corinne Bailey Rae
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Celebrate Whitby’s young writers as we reveal the winners of our Children’s Writing Competition.
11:00AM
Story Sleuthing: Theresa Tomlinson in conversation with Julie Noble
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
What happens when writers turn historical detective and uncover the stories hiding in plain sight?
SOLD OUT
11:30AM
The Metal Detectorists
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
Eleanor Bruce and Lucilla Gray in conversation with Gabby Richardson
11:30AM
Daffodil Days
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Helen Bain interviewed by Claire Malcolm
1:00PM
A Brief History of the Coast in 100 Objects
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
Sally Coulthard in conversation with Kate Fenton
SOLD OUT
1:00PM
Hugh Bonneville: Rory Sparkes and the Spy Who Loved Tea
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Family event, ages 7+
1:00PM
Bolder Not Older
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Nicky Hambleton Jones interviewed by Suzy Walker
2:00PM
Shooting Time: Ian Macdonald – North by North East
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Renowned North East photographer Ian Macdonald has spent more than 50 years documenting the people, landscapes and industries of the region,
2:30PM
There’s Been a Murder, Pet
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Ann Cleeves interviewed by Alison Graham
2:30PM
Young Adult: Dark Hearts & Dangerous Heroines
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Naomi Kelsey and Heather Askwith
3:30PM
Michael Gambon: The Authorised Biography
Eighteen 91, Brunswick Street, Whitby, YO21 1RB
Jasper Rees and Greta Scaachi, chaired by Peter Guttridge
3:30PM
Working-Class Podcast: Wuthering Heights
The Coliseum Centre, 1B Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Claire Malcolm, Richard Benson & Ali Naushahi
5:00PM
We’ve Always Been Here: The North Yorkshire Edition with Suzanne Elvidge &
Jet Black Jewel Hotel & Cafe Bar, 10 Skinner Street, Whitby, YO21 3AH
Queer history is North Yorkshire history.
SOLD OUT
5:00PM
Riding the Wave
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Dr Sian Williams interviewed by Suzy Walker
7:00PM
Complicit
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Peter Oborne and Alex Thomson7:00PM
Crime, Courts and Cold Nerves
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Louise Minchin and Jo Murray in conversation with Lucinda Hawksley
7:00PM
Eftwyrd: Rebirth
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
An Anglo-Saxon Epic Bob Beagrie with Russ Jenkins
8:30PM
Open Mic Night: An evening of poetry
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Compere – Bob Beagrie
Sunday 22nd November
10:30AM
Patron Spotlight – Rob Shearman with Simon Murgatoyd
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
The festival’s Honorary Patron, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, has selected a writer to feature in a Patron Spotlight event.
10:30AM
Gloam – Jack Mackay
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Not all monsters come out at night…
11:30AM
Full Circle
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Peter Oborne’s Full Circle: A History of Cricket co-authored with Richard Heller, a sweeping global history exploring cricket’s evolution.
11:30AM
The Land of Mist and Magic
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Philip Parker in conversation Sarah Clegg
12:00PM
Yorkshire’s Amazing Dinosaur Coast
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
Roger Osborne & James McKay
SOLD OUT
1:00PM
‘Flight’ by The Hull to Scarborough Line
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
How should we live, in a world where disillusion and exploitation seem paramount?
1:30PM
A Road Less Travelled
Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN
Ben Aitken and Tom Sykes
1:30PM
Raiders of the Lost Archive – Simon Murgatroyd
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
What happens when a priceless piece of cultural history disappears?
3:00PM
Still Running After All These Tears
Flowergate Hall, Flowergate, Whitby, YO21 3BA
Lisa Jackson in conversation with Suzy Walker
3:00PM
Elementary, My Dear
Whitby Museum, Whitby Museum, Whitby, YO21 1RE
Jack Anderson and Martin Edwards
SOLD OUT
Riviera Guesthouse
If you love reading and want to book your stay with us, why not read our Dracula blog
A stay at the Riviera is all about the views.
Most of our bedrooms are sea-facing and we can happily boast they are some of the most sought-after views in the whole of Whitby!
Most of our guests are smitten and one stay is never enough.
We regularly welcome back guests who have fallen in love with Whitby and fallen in love with our sea views.
Our 15 spacious en-suite bedrooms are renowned for their originality.
Each has been uniquely designed to suit individual tastes.
And what’s more, they are beautifully furnished with lots of modern comforts so you enjoy a restful and cosy stay.
There is a choice of Four Poster Superior King, King Size, Deluxe Double, Standard Double, Family, Twin and Single bedrooms.
All are comfortably furnished and feature flat screen LCD televisions and complimentary WiFi.
