Start planning and bookmarking your 2025 calendar with these literary festivals nationwide. Please note this list will be updated throughout the year as more festivals finalise their dates and program schedules.
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January
Barwon Heads Indie Author Fair (Vic) 12 January
This is the second author fair on the coastal town, with all events free for visitors.
February
Trans Book Festival (Vic) 8 February
The Festival will showcase books written by transgender, gender diverse and non-binary people in Australia and from overseas.
The Society of Women Writers Victoria: For the Love of Writing (Vic) 22-23 February
Events are both in-person and online.
GenreCon (Qld) 28 February – 2 March
GenreCon is the largest conference in the southern hemisphere dedicated to genre writers.
March
Adelaide Writers’ Week (SA) 1-6 March
The program is yet to be released, but some featured events are on sale now.
All about Women (NSW) 5, 8-9 March
A large suite of events both in-person and online that explore gender, justice and equality.
Words out West (Qld) 4-22 March
This is the Western Downs Readers and Writers Fest.
Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival (Vic) 13-22 March
The 10-day Festival will be celebrating its 20th year in 2025. The program will be available from February.
Clunes Book Town Festival (Vic) 22-23 March
The Festival will be running from dawn to dusk in the regional town of Clunes, with an outdoor book bazaar featuring over 100 stalls. The program has yet to be finalised.
Footscray West Writers Fest (Vic) 28-30 March
A brand new festival taking place in the inner west suburb of Melbourne.
Manly Writers’ Festival (NSW) 28-30 March
Manly’s inaugural Writers Festival started up last year; it continues apace in 2025.
April
Somerset Storyfest (Qld) 1-3 April
The annual three-day festival on the Gold Coast that extends its reach into regional Queensland.
Newcastle Writers Festival (NSW) 4-6 April
The program will be launched 14 February. The Festival extends beyond the annual event and includes the Fresh Ink Emerging Writer Prize for regional NSW residents and the Story Hunter program, which trains local writers to lead creative writing workshops in primary schools throughout the region.
Sorrento Writers Festival (Vic) 24-27 April
The Festival will host more than 170 speakers across 140 events.
Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Vic) 27 April- 17 May
This year’s theme is the dark side of Shakespeare. There will be over 20 events across two weeks.
May
Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival (WA) 2-4 May
This Festival is the biggest regional literary event in Western Australia.
Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival (Qld) 3-5 May
Program yet to be finalised.
Melbourne Writers Festival (Vic) 8-11 May
Program yet to be finalised.
Sydney Writers’ Festival (NSW) 19-25 May
The Festival also includes a primary and secondary school program.
Words on the Waves Festival (NSW) 28 May- 1 June
The Festival is located in the central coast of NSW; the program is yet to be released.
Northern Territory Writers Festival (NT) 29 May-1 June
This year’s Festival will take place in Alice Springs, with a theme of ‘healing in the winds of change.’
BABE Ballgowns and Books Event (NSW) 31 May- 1 June
This book convention focuses on fantasy and romance, and will feature over 150 international authors spanning those two genres.
Capricorn Coast Writers Festival (Qld) 30 May – 1 June
The program has yet to be announced, but this year there will be workshops for adults and students.
June
Belligen Readers and Writers Festival (NSW) 6-8 June
Celebrating its 25th birthday this year, the Festival boasts over 30 speakers in 30 sessions in 2025.
Woodend Winter Arts Festival (Vic) 6-9 June
Taking place on the King’s Birthday weekend, the program has yet to be confirmed.
Williamstown Literary Festival (Vic) 20-22 June
Program yet to be finalised.
July
South Coast Readers & Writers Festival (NSW) 5-6 July
Program yet to be finalised.
Whitsunday Voices (Qld) 16-18 July
This Youth Literature Festival is a signature event on the Mackay educational calendar
Southern Highlands Writers’ Festival (NSW) 25-27 July
Program yet to be finalised.
Apollo Bay Wordfest (Vic) 25-27 July
Now in its 32nd year, the Apollo Bay Wordfest continues in 2025.
August
Byron Writers Festival (NSW) 9-10 August
Byron Writers Festival is Australia’s largest regional writers’ festival. This year’s program has yet to be finalised.
Bendigo Writers Festival (Vic) 15-17 August
The weekend Festival takes place towards the end of winter in Victoria’s central heartland.
Mudgee Readers’ Festival (NSW) 16-17 August
Situated in the central west of NSW, the Mudgee Readers’ Festival has been running for 15 years. The program has yet to be finalised.
CapriCon (Qld) 30 August
This is the largest single-day pop culture convention in Central Queensland showcasing comics, collectibles, cosplay, anime, medieval, gaming, art, steampunk and more.
Dunkeld Writers Festival (Vic) 29-31 August
Dunkeld is a small town at the southern end of the Grampians National Park The program has yet to be released.
September
Write around the Murray (NSW and Vic) 10-14 September
A five-day festival in Albury, on the border of regional NSW and Victoria.
Emerging Writers’ Festival (Vic) 11-18 September
Program yet to be finalised.
Bad Sydney Crime Writers Festival (NSW) 12-14 September
Program yet to be finalised.
Whitsundays Writers Festival (Qld) 12-14 September
Program yet to be finalised.
October
OzAsia (SA) October
The exact dates and program have not yet been released.
Mansfield Readers and Writers Festival (Vic) 11-12 October
Mansfield is situated in north-east Victoria on Taungurung Country, a small town at the foothills of the High Country. The program is yet to be completed.
Brisbane Writers Festival (Qld), 9-12 October
This year there will be a venue change: to the Brisbane Powerhouse. The program will be announced mid-year.
Dandenong Ranges Literary Festival (Vic) 17-18 October
The theme this year is ‘A Sense of Place.’ Sessions will be held in various locations around Belgrave’s main street.
Queenscliffe Literary Festival (Vic), 17-26 October
Program yet to be finalised.
Festival of Fiction (WA) 18-19 October
Perth’s newest literary festival will be four times as big as it was in its inaugural outing last year.
Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival (NSW) 31 October – 2 November
Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival takes place in Katoomba, and is presented by Varuna the National Writers’ House. The program is yet to be finalised, but there will be over 80 speakers, 56 events and 14 workshops over three days.
Read: Upcoming Australian fiction and non-fiction for 2025, January to June
November
Sunshine Coast Fiction Festival (Qld) 7-9 November
The inaugural three-day event will include writing workshops, author panels, special guests and entertainment.
Australian Short Story Festival (SA) November
The Festival will occur in Adelaide this year but dates are to be advised.
And more…
At the time of publishing, various festivals have yet to lock in a time for their event. These include, but are not limited to, Addi Road Writers’ Festival, Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival, Bathurst Writers’ and Readers’ Festival, Dubbo Writers’ Festival, Headland Writers Festival, Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival, Riverina Readers Festival, Scone Literary Festival, Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, Sydney Muslim Writers Festival, A Day in Carlton, Port Fairy Literary Weekend, Cairns Tropical Writers Festival, Canberra Writers Festival.
Details of all of these will be added in due course as their schedules are finalised.
