2025: Chapter One.
Chapter One. Launch of Ipswich Book Festival 2025.
Ipswich Book Festival launched its inaugural edition (“Chapter One”) 3–5 October 2025.
In just three days, Ipswich Book Festival:
Delivered 46 events across 14 venues
Sold 1,257 tickets, with 9 sold-out events
Engaged 230 children through school visits
Activated dozens of town-centre locations, including innovative uses of historic buildings and an iconic Routemaster bus
Mobilised 37 volunteers, strengthening community pride
Attracted one in three visitors from outside Ipswich, boosting the local economy
Generated extensive regional media coverage
Secured £8,000 in local sponsorship, with every partner based in Ipswich
Achieved a 96.4% satisfaction rate and an 86% recommendation score
Volunteers & Community Engagement
37 volunteers contributed time, skills and passion
Their presence in bright festival t-shirts created a welcoming, visible “red thread” across venues
The festival strengthened community pride and supported new social connections
Accessibility & Inclusivity
The festival offered:
Six free events, plus multiple low-cost ticketed sessions (£3.50–£12)
Reduced prices for children and students
A diverse programme representing a wide range of ethnicities, genres and neurodiversities
Daily free Author Showcases featuring 15 local writers per day
Mixed-ability workshops and accessible venues wherever possible
Education & Partnerships
We collaborated with:
Northgate School
St Helen’s School
Gainsborough Library
Suffolk Mind
National Literacy Trust
New Wolsey Theatre
Community Hub Ipswich (CHIp)
St Clements Arts Centre
“Ashley Hickson-Lovence on the bus at the Cornhill on Sunday was magical.”