We’re bringing award winning authors to Stroud to share their amazing stories with children and families in our community at the first ever Brimscombe Mill Kids Book Fest.
2026 has been designated the National Year of Reading and we’re joining a UK-wide campaign led by the National Literacy Trust to help more people rediscover the joy of reading and make it part of their everyday lives.
As with all our events our tickets are available on a paid and free basis.
Discover the full programme below.
Tickets now on sale
Book tickets for Friday 9th October events
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Storytelling session with Andy Hussey
Friday 9th Oct @ 10:00-10:30
UNDER 5s
Come along for a storytelling session with local author Andy Hussey. Young nature lovers will be inspired to explore the great outdoors and have their own adventure.
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Craft Table With Stroud Library
Friday 9th Oct @ 10:30-12:00
UNDER 5s.
Join Stroud Library at their craft table next to the play area. Make a mushroom bookmark to take home or decorate a matchbox, perfect for storing your smallest treasures.
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Poems With John Dougherty
Friday 9th Oct @ 16:30-17:15
5-10YRS
Join award-winning author and poet John Dougherty in The Sanctuary for a fun-filled and inspirational celebration of verse, silly stories and songs.
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Graphic Novel Workshop- Wren James
Friday 9th October @ 18:30-19:15
14+
Join Wren James for an interactive drawing workshop, learning the process of creating their debut graphic novel, The Victors: a funny and uplifting story.
Book tickets for Saturday 10th October events
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Unipiggle Magic Drawing Party with Hannah Shaw
Saturday 10th Oct @ 09:30-10:30
AGE 4-8YRS
Join Author and Illustrator Hannah Shaw for a Unipiggle magic drawing party, a guided illustration workshop and story telling where children will learn how to draw fun characters from Witch Emergency..
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Martha Lightfoot Illustration Workshop
Saturday 10th October @ 10:00-11:00
AGE 7+
Join illustrator Martha Lightfoot for a illustration workshop entitled Fly Me To The Moon. Come and immerse yourself in the magical world of animals in flight, and see where your drawings take you.
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Alex T Smith Presents Algernon Pickle in The Mystery At Odd-Doings House
Saturday 10th Oct @ 11:30-12:15
AGE 7+
Join multi award winning author Alex T Smith as he presents Algernon Pickle in his new book The Mystery at Odd-Doings House. Imagine if Hercule Poirot was a beaver... A fast-paced crime caper to keep you on the edge of your seat.
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Helen Peters presents A Cat Called Cobweb
Saturday 10th Oct @ 13:00-13:45
AGE 7-9YRS
Join author Helen Peters for a reading of the latest book in the Jasmine Green series. Children will enjoy an interactive quiz and learn all about her life growing up on a farm and the wonderful animals that have inspired her stories.
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Adventuremice with Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
Saturday 10th October @ 14:30-15:15
AGE 5-8YRS
Join storytelling legends Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre for a hilarious, action-packed, interactive celebration of Adventuremice: Of Mice and Mummies, the eighth book in their bestselling series.
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Jess Butterworth Creative Writing Workshop
Saturday 10th October @ 14:30-15:30
AGE 8+
Join award winning local author Jess Butterworth in a creative writing workshop inspired by one of her most popular books, When the Mountains Roared. Choose a wild setting for your character to travel to where they try to save an animal in danger!
Join in with our design your own book cover competition with Tom Percival with book voucher prizes.
As part of the festival we are also launching our book cover competition throughout the month of September. We would love children to use their creativity and imagination to design a book cover. Award winning author Tom Percival has set four different plot synopsis for our book titled ‘In Time’. Children can pick one and design a book cover- the more crazy the better!
Tom will be picking two winners in each category and each will receive a book voucher for Yellow Lighted Bookshop. Tom will be annoucing the winners at a special book festival launch party on Thursday 8th dinner.
Deadlines for submissions are 1st October. Click the button below to download the competition sheet or come by Brimscombe Mill and pick one up.
What makes our festival different
As part of the National Year of Reading, Brimscombe Mill Kids Book Fest is about making books, stories and authors accessible to as many children as possible.
We want to bring brilliant national and local authors to the Mill, so children and families in our District can experience the magic of a childrens book festival regardless of what they have in their pocket.
Working directly with schools, charities and community partners, we will make sure free and subsidised tickets reach children who would not ordinarily be able to access author events, creative workshops or literary festivals.
Our partners
Our local independent bookshop The Yellow Lighted Bookshop have supported us greatly on this project, they’ve connected us with all of our authors and we’re hugely grateful for their support in both organising and also hosting our book signings.
Wheatley Printers, Laura Kinsella Foundation, Stroud District Council and The Gloucestershire County Council through The Crisis Resilience fund have all helped us to make this festival as low cost and as accessible to everyone as possible.
Book Festival FAQs
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Brimscombe Mill Children’s Book Festival is a joyful, low-cost book festival for children and families near Stroud. The festival includes children’s author events, interactive storytelling, illustration workshops, creative activities, book signings, a book stall, a book swap, food, play and family fun from national and local authors for all ages.
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Brimscombe Mill Children’s Book Festival takes place from 8th -10th October at Brimscombe Mill.
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The festival is held at Brimscombe Mill, near Stroud in Gloucestershire. Events are held across the site in our Sanctuary Space and main cloisters area.
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Tickets for author events are £4.50 each and also available ‘on us'.’
Some activities may be free or drop-in. Please check individual event listings when booking.
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Yes, adults and children both need a ticket for booked author events because spaces are limited.
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The festival is designed for children and families, with events for a range of ages from babies and toddlers through to older children age 14+. Many of the main interactive events are especially suitable for children aged 4–8, with age guidance shown on each event listing.
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No. The festival is for children who already love books, and children who have not found their way into reading yet. Some events are author talks, while others are more active and playful, with drawing, quizzes, singing, storytelling and hands-on creative activities.
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Yes, booked author events have limited capacity and should be booked in advance., all people in the booking need a ticket including adults and babies. There will also be drop-in activities available during the festival that don’t need booking. Check individual listings.
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On site there is baby changing, an accessible toilet, disabled parking spaces and on site parking.
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Brimscombe Mill is a community hub with 4 shops on site, selling second hand children’s items to refurbished bikes, to preloved furniture and a pay as you can restaurant.
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The Long Table, pay as you can restaurant serve lunch everyday (closed on Sundays) from 12-2pm and for the rest of the day coffees, teas, cakes and cold drinks are available. They also have a licensed bar.
