Coastal art, literature and food festivals bring autumn cheer – book some things to do by the coast in October 2025
1. Celebrate literature
Margate, Kent | 4-12 October
The Margate Bookie festival is celebrating its 10-year anniversary – meet local writers, join workshops and get the kids reading at the children’s festival. This year’s highlight is the Big Weekend at Turner Contemporary featuring star authors (margatebookie.com).
2. Mussel Up!
Brancaster, Norfolk | 24-26 October
A celebration of local mussels grown and harvested by hand in the tidal creeks of Brancaster Bay, Norfolk’s Original Brancaster Mussel Festival is a must for those who love ‘moules-frites’. Dine on mussels cooked in a variety of ways, accompanied by live music all weekend (whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk/whats-on).
3. Slurp up the Oysters
Falmouth, Cornwall | 9-12 October
As one of Cornwall’s largest speciality food events, the Falmouth Oyster Festival is more than just a seafood feast – it is a celebration of the traditional methods of harvesting, using only sail and oar on Falmouth’s working boats (falmouthoysterfestival.co.uk).
4. Paddle the Isle of Man
Port Erin, Isle of Man | 10-12 October
Explore the Isle of Man coast at its Kayak Festival – a weekend of social paddling with qualified coaches and international participants, along with opportunities for kayakers of all levels to learn new skills (adventurousexperiences.com/kayak-festival).
5. Contemplate the art of the seas
Seaford, East Sussex | 15-19 October
Curated by Brighton-based artist Laura Callaghan, Sea, Sky, Salt, Soil: Art of the Sussex Coastline at Seaford’s Crypt Gallery invites you to contemplate the county’s coastal landscape. The event features Laura’s own art and multimedia works by regional female artists, plus a talk about the power of water (lauracallaghan.co.uk).
6. Read and Write on the Isle of Wight
Cowes, Isle of Wight | 9-12 October
From history, politics and personal growth to crime, romance and fantasy fiction, the Isle of Wight Literary Festival is one of the most respected events on the UK’s literary calendar. This year, ‘Litfeast’ will feature cookery demonstrations and wine tasting as it shines a light on the skills of culinary writing (isleofwightliteraryfestival.com).
7. Promote Sustainable Food in Fishguard
Fishguard, Pembrokeshire | 11-12 October
If you are truly passionate about the sustainability of the food you eat, this is the festival for you. In its third year, Fishguard Food Festival works to promote local and sustainable sourced food through an event of farmers’ markets, cooking workshops and nature-based outdoor activities (fishguardbayfood.co.uk).
8. Time for a story!
Edinburgh, Midlothian | 22 October – 1 November
Traditional and contemporary tales are celebrated at one of the world’s largest festivals dedicated to storytelling. The International Scottish Storytelling Festival showcases the art in its various forms, taking you to new realms through performance, workshops, talks and events for children (sisf.org.uk).
9. Step into a world of spooky shadows
Falmouth, Cornwall | 25 October – 2 November
This half term, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC) dares families to enter a world of Silhouettes & Shadows – traditional shadow puppetry with an atmospheric soundscape. This week of stories, crafts, treasure hunts and seasonal surprises is designed to spark imaginations and celebrate the spookiest time of year (rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum-cornwall).
10. Be Enchanted by Words from the Heart
Stornoway, Outer Hebrides | 30 October – 1 November
Held each year over the days around the autumn equinox and the Celtic festival of Samhain, the theme of this year’s Faclan: the Hebridean Book Festival is The Heart. It features talks, readings, film, and exhibitions from local and global writers, along with a children’s book event (lanntair.com/creative-programme/faclan).
