The Foreword Festival is coming to Eye in 2026!
We’re bringing fantastic books, authors, storytelling, poetry and more to Eye, Suffolk, over the weekend of 19th-21st June 2026. We’re lining up big-name headliners, as well as themed author panels for Father’s Day and Suffolk Day, a Children’s and YA book fair, a book fair showcasing Suffolk Authors, and a brilliant FREE family day out for the King’s Birthday! We’re sponsored by Mid Suffolk District Council, and supported by Eye Love and Go All In – the National Year of Reading 2026 campaign.
We’ll update the website as we finalise our plans, so keep checking back – and sign up to our mailing list to have our updates delivered direct to your inbox.
A PERFORMANCE POETRY EXTRAVAGANZA!
BOOK TICKETS!Headliner Henry Normal
is a BAFTA-winning writer, poet, TV and film producer, co-writer of The Mrs Merton Show and The Royle Family. He’s been selling out theatres across the UK with his unique brand of hilarious poetry. With support from a dream team of poets: Tim Barlow, James Domestic, and Nancy T, and compered by local poet and author, AJ Deane.
Tickets only £15!
AN EVENING WITH
ASHLEY HICKSON-LOVENCE
BOOK TICKETS!Join us for an evening with the brilliant Ashley Hickson-Lovence – winner of The East Anglian Book Award 2024, The YA Diverse Book Awards 2025, and nominated for The Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature in 2025.
Ashley will be talking about his groundbreaking work with local Author, Jackie Carreira.
Tickets only £10!
AN EXCLUSIVE WORKSHOP WITH JOHN HEGLEY
BOOK TICKETS!Two hours of exercises with John Hegley, designed to relax and stretch the mind with opportunities to share your marvellous creations, and marvel at others! The session includes word games with fishes, expressions of gratitude, the drawing of cars and mandolin playing. No experience needed, just experiences!
For ages 16+.
Tickets only £15.
WRITING OUR COUNTRYSIDE
BOOK TICKETS!Meet Richard Negus – former soldier and profession horseman, who now lays hedges for a living. He writes about British rural life for The Daily Telegraph, and co-hosts a weekly podcast – Countryslide – covering British rural life.
Patrick Galbraith is a columnist for Country Life and The Critic. His first book – In Search of the One Last Song – was called the most important book on the Countryside in years.
Tickets only £10!
MAGIC AND FOLKLORE
BOOK TICKETS!Explore the hidden and magical side of stories from Suffolk. Join three local authors, Helen Fisher, Julia Blake, and Gerry Donlon (AKA Bards Aloud), all inspired by local folklore, strange stories, and ancient tales of the deep, dark woods.
Bring your curiosity and your questions for the panel, and be ready for mysteries, surprises, dark secrets, and a shiver down the spine …
Tickets only £10!
SUFFOLK FOOD STORIES
BOOK TICKETS!Join four Suffolk authors for our Father’s Day lunchtime panel on food, drink, cooking, and the joy of sharing meals with friends and family. We’ll be talking about where to eat in Suffolk with Adam Tully, author of Suffolk Story; how to cook amazing fusion food with award-winning chef Lilian Hiw; farm-to-table cooking, Tanzanian style, with chef Beata Osborne; and the meaningful relationships we develop through sharing food, with Bee Farrell.
Tickets only £10!
EAT, SLEEP, READ, PLAY FOOTBALL!
BOOK TICKETS!Join three football-obsessed children’s authors at this all-age family event for Father’s Day! Ever wondered about the funniest thing that’s happened on a football pitch? Or how it feels to follow your footballing dreams? And what about the history of your favourite club? If football is your passion, this is the event for you. Bring Dad, bring your football-mad kids, and bring your questions for our amazing authors. You’ll have the chance to meet the authors, and buy their signed books, after the event!
Tickets only £10!
MORE EVENTS TO COME!
We’ll be announcing the rest of our events over the next few weeks! We’re organising two FREE book fairs, a FREE storytelling trail for grown-ups, an Open Mic Night, more workshops, and a fantastic FREE family day out to celebrate the King’s birthday on Saturday 20th June.
Make sure you sign up to our mailing list, and we’ll let you know when new events are added to the programme!
LATEST NEWS
Foreword Festival tickets now on sale!
Tickets are on sale now for our author panels and workshops! Numbers are limited, so don’t miss out – book now and reserve your seats.
We’ve done our best to keep ticket prices as low as possible, while bringing some big names and headliners to Eye.
Don’t miss out – join our mailing list for events, updates and news!
Our 2026 Sponsors
Sponsorship Opportunites
We’re still looking for businesses in and around Eye and Mid Suffolk to support our not-for-profit, volunteer-led festival for 2026. We’re a Community Interest Company, and we believe in working together to make sure everybody benefits from their involvement in our events.
If you would like to add your logo to our publicity, and sponsor the work of the festival team, we’d love to work with you!
Latest News
Tickets now on sale!
Tickets are on sale now for our author panels and workshops! Numbers are limited, so don’t miss out – book now and reserve your seats. We’ve done our best to[…]
Read moreHere’s our teaser poster!
We’re putting copies of our teaser poster up around Eye on Friday! Keep an eye out for our bright pink event posters, appearing over the coming weeks, and look out[…]
Read moreThank you!
A huge THANK YOU to all the East Anglian authors who have applied to take part in this summer’s Foreword Festival events! We’re excited to check out your books, and[…]
Read more
Foreword Festival UK C.I.C.
Company number 16233911