12TH - 16TH MAY 2026
FLEET STREET FESTIVAL OF WORDS 2026
THE AGE OF WISDOM AND FOOLISHNESS
Fleet Street Quarter’s Festival of Words returns from 12th -16th May 2026, bringing five days of enlightening and transformative conversations to this historic western side of the City of London. Featuring an array of authors, journalists, thinkers and speakers across multiple genres, the Festival of Words once again celebrates Fleet Street Quarter as the place where stories have always been born.
The theme this year takes inspiration from the famous opening lines of Charles Dickens’s novel, A Tale of Two City ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness’. Join us across 30 events as we examine and celebrate what drives our own Age of Wisdom and Foolishness, the ideas right or wrong that challenge what has gone before and seek to predict what will come next.
EVENT PROGRAMME
SUPPORT THE NATIONAL LITERACY TRUST
Fleet Street Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) has formed a long-term partnership with the National Literacy Trust, uniting two organisations with a shared mission to celebrate storytelling, education and the joy of reading. The partnership will see a series of major cultural and community initiatives take place, starting this December, which champion the power of literacy in changing life stories.
Our collaboration will amplify the district’s cultural programme with a renewed focus on literacy and access to reading. Together, we will deliver a calendar of events designed to inspire Londoners and visitors of all ages to discover the joy of words, stories, and reading.
Your donation is essential in enabling the National Literacy Trust to continue delivering programmes to help improve literacy in schools and communities across the UK.
FESTIVAL PARTNERS
SATURDAY 17TH MAY
Authors Jojo Moyes is joined by Mike Gayle to discuss their latest books, writing relationships, and creating memorable characters.
WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY
Booker Prize winning author Ben Okri discusses his brand new novella Madame Sosostris and the Festival for the Broken-Hearted with Fee Mak.
WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY
Chief Historian of Historic Royal Palaces, Tracy Borman sheds light on one of the most powerful and fascinating men of the Tudor period, Thomas Cromwell.
WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY
Julia Wheeler speaks to broadcaster and Radio 2 DJ Jeremy Vine about his recently published book, Murder on Line One
THURSDAY 15TH MAY
Iain Dale joins authors Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Richard Evans, from his new book, The Dictators: 64 Dictators, 64 Authors, 64 Warnings from History
THURSDAY 15TH MAY
Professor Kate Loveman explores Samuel Pepys’ infamous diary, its history, hidden secrets, and impact, 200 years on from its first publication.
THURSDAY 15TH MAY
Author Mick Herron and screenwriter Ed Docx discuss adapting Slow Horses for TV, exploring creative input, challenges, and inspirations.
FRIDAY 16TH MAY
Journalists Caroline Wheeler and Nick Wallis discuss their investigations into NHS blood disaster and the Post Office Horizon scandal.
SATURDAY 17TH MAY
Larry Lamb & Camilla Barnes discuss their paths to publication, from Larry's All Wrapped Up, to Camilla's debut The Usual Desire to Kill
WEDNESDAY 14TH, THURSDAY 15TH MAY & FRIDAY 16TH MAY
Join journalists from The Guardian, The Times and The Daily Telegraph for breakfast briefings as they review the headlines of the day.
PATRONS
Sir Ben Okri
Poet, Novelist, Artist and Speaker
Baroness Beeban Kidron
Film and television director (Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason; Oranges are Not the Only Fruit) and member of the House of Lords
Advisory Board
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Lady Lucy French OBE
CEO, Fleet Street Quarter BID
Damian Collins OBE
Festival Director
Author, former Chair of the House Select Committee for Digital Culture, Media and Sport, and MP for Folkestone and Hythe from 2010 to 2024
Nick Addyman
Founder and Chair of Laurus Law and former board member of the English National Opera
Diane Banks
Literary agent and Chief Executive of Northbank Talent Agency
Lord Black of Brentwood
Deputy Chairman, Telegraph Media Group
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Simon Clark
Chair of the Center for Countering Digital Hate
David Shriver
Senior Advisor Kekst CNC and Trustee, Creative Folkestone
Simon Kingston
Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates and creator of the West Cork History Festival
John Nicolson
Journalist, broadcaster and politician
Sarah Richardson
Senior advisor to the Global Innovation Fund and former Lord Mayor of the City of Westminster
Dr Damian Tambini
Distinguished Policy Fellow in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE
