A partnership with How Brave is the Wren and the Hare & Hounds, the festival features 35 events for literature and music lovers of all ages, across 13 venues. The biannual festival is supported by National Lottery Project Grants funding through Arts Council England.

And if you needed further encouragement to make sure you have your tickets, comedian, painter and Kings Heath champion Joe Lycett added: “In the words of the late, great John Keats: ‘beauty is truth, truth beauty, beauty is the Alcester Road, truth the Heath Bookshop, that is all ye need to know.”

If you are looking for some music themed conversations on Friday 17th April head to the Hare & Hounds to see Sheffield journalist Daniel Dylan Wray in conversation with artist, writer and musician Lias Saoudi, discussing the often overlooked creativity of Sheffield musicians including Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, and Self Esteem foll
owed by writer, DJ, music researcher and filmmaker Jesse Bernard in conversation with author Adèle Oliver discussing how Black music has transformed British Culture.

Literature takes centre stage over at the All Saints Centre on Saturday 18th April with Natasha Brown, who was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2025, in conversation with Shantel Edwards from Writing West Midlands. Natasha will discuss her novels Assembly and Universality her writing process, influencers and more. And if crime is your literature go to, the All Saints Centre hosts a Crime Panel on Sunday 19th April, featuring bestselling crime and thriller authors Barbara Copperthwaite, Dorothy Koomson and Mark Edwards, come and hear about their latest books and what goes into creating them.

There’s loads to do for children and their families throughout the Festival thanks to How Brave is the Wren. A week before the Festival artist and designer Emma Carlow will host a special ceramics session encouraging young people to create their own amazing folk art bird whistles which will be ready for them to collect and use during the Festival itself. And, if you want to create your animal costumes ahead of Carnival of the Animals head to How Brave is the Wren on Sunday 12th April.

At How Brave is the Wren on Saturday 18th April Sam Sedgman is a bestselling author, confirmed nerd and enthusiastic ferroequinologist (someone who is recreationally interested in and studies trains and rail transport systems) makes a timely visit as Kings Heath Train Station will be newly opened! And if you are a fan of myths and legends then make sure you book for a workshop with Thiago de Moraes for a tour around his book Mighty Myths.

Performance runs throughout the Festival and Sunday 19 April sees The Heath Bookshop Literature and Music event culminate in two events that celebrate everything music and spoken word at the Hare & Hounds. The Open Mic FINAL will take place with Judges Casey Bailey, Adèle Oliver and Chris Cleverley expect spoken word and singers competing for the top spot. And to close the Festival the return of The Big Gay Poetry Night! With Bradley Taylor and M.L. Walsh, expect a celebration of queer poetry and performance.

Catherine and Claire co-owners of The Heath Bookshop said: “We are counting down the days to the Festival, becoming more and more excited as we make the final preparations to welcome authors, musicians, poets and dancers to Kings Heath. What great timing that the new train station has opened in Kings Heath, it couldn’t be easier to get along to one of the 35 events we have planned. We can’t wait to welcome book nerds and music enthusiasts from Kings Heath, Birmingham and beyond. See you at the Festival!”