Words by the Water
A Festival of Words and Ideas at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Words by the Water 2025
Wednesday March 12th - Sunday March 16th at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
It is very exciting to be welcoming everyone back to Words by the Water at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick this March.
Leah Varnell, joint organiser of Words by the Water and Gwenda and Lucy Matthews of Bookends are looking forward to a fantastic five day festival and this year the programme has been expanded to include more workshops, a writing competition for young and emerging Cumbrian writers and also more intimate events in the Circle Gallery.
Bookends director Lucy Matthews is enthusiastic about the return of the festival: 'For over 20 years, selling books at the Words by the Water festival has been an annual highlight for Bookends and a new era dawned in 2024 as we adopted the mantle of festival co-organisers alongside Leah Varnell . The festival was a wonderful experience and the Keswick community responded so warmly and enthusiastically that we knew we wanted to do it all again! We do hope you all enjoy the mix of fascinating topics, high profile names and local talent in the 2025 programme’
Leah shared the same excitement after the festival's return 'It has been a really challenging few years in the arts but we are absolutely delighted to be back in full force to share ideas and bring the Words by the Water festival community back together. I’m looking forward again to March 2025 and hope to see lots of book enthusiasts– new and old – at the theatre - back in the familiar Springtime slot’
Simon Stephens, Executive Director of Theatre by the Lake also welcomed the return of the festival in 2024 ”Words by the Water has always been an extremely popular event at the theatre and we know audiences have missed it in recent years. We were really excited for the return of the festival and to be hosting a truly wonderful celebration of literature once again. Now, we look forward to March 2025!'
