THE dates for a popular literary festival in the Lake District have been announced. 

Words by the Water will be returning to Theatre by the Lake in Keswick from March 12 to March 16, 2025.

The festival, which began as a small event in Keswick 24 years ago, has grown over the years to attract many big-name authors to Lake District such as Val McDermid.

Starting out as just a three-day event, it expanded to a 10-day festival before the pandemic.

In 2022, organisers announced that the Words by the Water Festival would not be returning in 2023, citing the impact of Covid and 'difficult financial choices'.

However, it made a triumphant return in 2024 bringing names such as Alexander McCall Smith, Robin Ince and Daisy Dunn to the theatre. 

Continuing development for the 2025 festival is the event's new partnership between independent Keswick's Bookends and Words by the Water organiser, Leah Varnell.

Bookends director Lucy Matthews said: "For over 20 years, selling books at the Words by the Water festival has been an annual highlight for Bookends.

"We know how much our customers always looked forward to the festival so we are now delighted to have it back in the community with its successful return in 2024.

"We now have a very different role  as, not only do we sell the books, but we will also be organising and running the festival alongside Leah.

"We are thrilled to be working in partnership like this and hope this heralds the start of a wonderful new era of Words by the Water," she said. 

Teasing the event on social media, Bookends announced the programme will be revealed in January with events already confirmed with Cumbrian shepherd James Rebanks, Ann Cleeves and LJ Ross. 

Leah Varnell said: "It has been a really challenging few years in the arts but we are absolutely delighted to be back in full force to share ideas and bring the Words by the Water festival community back together.

"I’m looking forward again to March 2025 and hope to see lots of book enthusiasts– new and old – at the theatre again back in the familiar Springtime slot."