To celebrate our 30th anniversary we’re bringing the festival into Byron Bay this August.

This year, Byron Writers Festival enters an exciting new era as we celebrate our 30th anniversary by returning to Byron Bay. The festival bids a fond farewell to Bangalow Showground and will be hosted across multiple venues right in the heart of the Byron township from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 August. 

‍We are bringing the festival into the community, and across three days will turn the town into a literary precinct bustling with writers, readers, big ideas, conversation and performance.

Within the Byron Writers Festival precinct will be two hubs, one on the foreshore and one in the heart of town, with venues including the Byron Community Centre (Byron Theatre and Wategos Room), Byron Bay Surf Club, Beach Hotel, Haven, and more to be announced. There will also be events at the Cavanbah Centre, and free programming for readers of all ages presented on the Byron foreshore.

The festival will activate the township and drive business to local cafés, restaurants and retailers – perfect for grabbing pre-session coffee and post-panel debriefs.

The Festival’s signature feature events are a mainstay, along with book signings and author appearances at official festival bookshop, The Book Room, on Fletcher Street, which will form the main pedestrian thoroughfare.

Day passes will give ticketholders access to all official festival venues and sessions during the day without the need for separate tickets, while evening feature events will be ticketed separately. 

Parking will be available at the Cavanbah Centre with shuttle buses providing transport to the festival precinct.

Byron Writers Festival Artistic Director Jessica Alice said, “We are delighted to celebrate our 30th year in Byron Bay, more connected with the community, more visible, and more accessible than ever before. We’re excited to activate Byron with books and culture, and make it a festival for everyone to discover and enjoy. We extend our deep thanks to the community for their incredible support that has allowed us to look forward to the next 30 years.”

‍Early Bird tickets for 2026 Byron Writers Festival will go on sale in April. The full festival program will be released in June, along with all details about venues, ticketing, parking, accessibility and other essential information.