Writers and readers descend on Blenheim this July 24-26.
There are book festivals, and then there are winter book festivals in Marlborough, where crisp mornings, frost-tinged vineyards and a weekend of stories and conversations await.
Returning on July 24-26, the Marlborough Book Festival brings together a thoughtful programme of authors, readers and ideas across three days, with sessions staged in venues across Blenheim’s compact town centre. The festival hub is the riverside Whitehaven Theatre, just minutes from Blenheim’s new library at Te Kahu o Waipuna. It’s a festival made for wandering – between sessions, conversations and a wine or two.
What began more than a decade ago over coffee between a group of local book lovers has become a fixture on the national literary calendar. Organisers Claudia Small and Sonia O’Regan say the original idea was simple: bring a book festival to Marlborough so people didn’t have to travel elsewhere to experience one.
“We thought Marlborough deserved and needed its own book festival,” O’Regan says. “We’d been to them in other centres and thought it was something we wanted in our own community.”
The first festival, held in 2014, relied heavily on community support. More than a decade on, that volunteer spirit remains central to its identity. “We’ve had amazing people come forward from the community,” Small says. “It’s been a real part of the success story.”
The Marlborough Book Festival weekend kicks off on Friday evening with drinks in the Whitehaven Theatre foyer, where audiences mingle with authors before moving into the main auditorium for the first sessions. By Saturday and Sunday, multiple events run across two or sometimes three venues. “That’s something nice about the festival,” Small says. “It’s all within walking distance. You can start your day at a cafe and be in a session five minutes later.”
Unlike some larger literary festivals, Marlborough’s atmosphere is notably intimate, with comfortable venues and a strong sense of connection between audiences, authors and volunteers. “We want it to be professional and organised,” Small says. “But actually, over the weekend, it’s about bringing together all different types of people. That’s the magic.”
That sense of discovery runs through the programme, which in 2026 features a line-up of leading New Zealand writers alongside acclaimed international authors. Catherine Chidgey returns to the festival following a prolific period that has cemented her reputation as one of the country’s most significant literary voices. “We keep getting asked by people to have Catherine Chidgey back,” Small says. “She’s on an absolute tear. People really want to hear from her, especially about her latest book, The Book of Guilt.”
Elizabeth Knox also returns, appearing this year with her new memoir Night, Ma, in conversation with fellow author Noelle McCarthy. “She’s an incredible fantasy and young adult writer, and this year she’s written a memoir for the first time. She is just such an interesting person to listen to,” Small says.
The programme aims to balance emerging writers with literary fiction, poetry, journalism and history, and the lineup includes a roll call of 16 impressive names, including Witi Ihimaera, Dominic Hoey, Naomi Arnold, Ngarino Ellis, Chris Stuart and Shehan Karunatilaka, among others.
The festival has also expanded beyond the weekend itself through a schools programme that brings visiting writers into Marlborough classrooms ahead of the event. Past sessions have included writing workshops with Saraid de Silva and discussions with historian Monty Soutar, giving local students rare access to acclaimed New Zealand authors. “It means students get to meet writers they might otherwise only see once in a blue moon,” O’Regan says.
That community focus made the festival a natural fit for Air New Zealand’s Regional Events Sponsorship Programme, which supports 20 events across 20 destinations around the country. Air New Zealand chief financial officer Richard Thomson says the programme aims to encourage more people to explore regional New Zealand while supporting the communities behind these events.
“There is so much happening across regional New Zealand, and this programme is about shining a light on that,” he says.
Thomson says festivals like Marlborough Book Festival also give visitors a different perspective on destinations they may already know for other reasons. “People might already know Marlborough for its wine, food and scenery, but the Book Festival brings in another layer – stories, ideas and conversation,” he says. “It feels warm, authentic and very local.”
Festival-goers can experience the best of both worlds, spending a morning at the farmers’ market, visiting the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre or taking in the views of the Marlborough Sounds from Picton’s waterfront or from the alpine village Saint Arnaud. For food and wine in between writer’s talks, Small recommends The Wine & Food Experience, which offers tastings from the surrounding wineries in the centre of town. There’s award-winning restaurant Arbour, Cloudy Bay’s new Japanese restaurant Saku, and Astrolabe’s Small Town Winery, a cellar door and restaurant.
Winter just adds to the appeal, she says. “It’s very cold mornings, cold nights, but beautiful still blue days. It’s great book festival weather.”
Visit Marlboroughbookfest.co.nz for more.