More than 640 hours of volunteer time will power the second annual Whitby Lit Fest as big names in literature and broadcasting arrive for a four-day celebration.
More than 640 hours of volunteer time will power the second annual Whitby Lit Fest when it returns to the town.
Thirty-four local volunteers, trustees, and patrons will cover 125 allocated shifts to ensure the four-day literary celebration runs smoothly.
The festival, taking place from Thursday the 19th to Sunday the 22nd of November 2026, will feature over 50 events across various venues in Whitby. It is set to welcome prominent figures from literature, television, and broadcasting, including Hugh Bonneville, John Boyne, Ann Cleeves, Joanne Harris, Si King, and Mark Billingham.
Organisers say the estimated 650 hours of combined trustee and volunteer time is the equivalent of more than 80 eight-hour working days. The team will be responsible for welcoming audiences, supporting events, and guiding visitors through the programme to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
Whitby Lit Fest trustee Mark Williamson said:
"People see the famous faces, the brilliant authors and the exciting events, but what they don't always see is the extraordinary amount of work and goodwill that goes on behind the scenes.
"Our volunteers really are the heart of the festival. They help us welcome visitors, support our authors and audiences, and create the wonderful sense of community that we want Whitby Lit Fest to be known for.
"We are enormously grateful to every single person who gives their time. Without them, we simply couldn't deliver a festival of this scale and ambition. We’re proud that this is a festival built on local enthusiasm, generosity and a genuine love of books and storytelling."
The event aims to celebrate both internationally acclaimed writers and the town's long-standing literary connections. The contribution of the volunteers highlights the wider community value of the festival, which brings together residents, local organisations, businesses, writers, and visitors in a shared celebration of literature, creativity, and the town's remarkable cultural heritage.
Festival patron and volunteer Kate Fenton said:
“It really does pull the community together, and I realised at the very first event last year what a priceless strength it is, this festival being completely in the hands of passionately committed local people who know the town and everyone in it.
“Eleven in the morning, and I was supposed to be interviewing a lady novelist together with a guy who had compiled an anthology of poetry about the Shipping Forecast. To be honest, I didn’t expect this to be a big seller – a novelist no-one had heard of and a bunch of poems? Couple of dozen maybe? How wrong could I be. Soon as I walked in, a nervous hour early, I was told 98 tickets had sold. 98? Fantastic! Until the chap managing the venue said they only had 73 chairs… And that was when I learned the importance of local. Within ten minutes, thanks to a smart committee member and volunteers, there were over a hundred chairs in that room.
“I don’t know to this day, from where they begged, borrowed or stole those chairs, but I can tell you event was a runaway success. As was the whole four-day festival which followed. And it looks as though this year, the second Whitby Lit Fest, will be even bigger and better. I can hardly wait.”
Organisers hope the festival will inspire a love of reading, encourage creativity, and strengthen Whitby's reputation as a destination for the arts.
Mark Williamson added:
"Building a sustainable festival is about much more than ticket sales or attracting big names. It's about creating something that belongs to the community, brings people together and makes a lasting difference. Every hour volunteered is an investment in Whitby's cultural future, and we're incredibly thankful to everyone helping us make it happen."
Full programme details and tickets are available on the festival's website.
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