Here’s a list of past and present festivals celebrating women’s writing (and ideas).
Festivals are difficult to get off the ground in the first instance, and then even harder to sustain. Some of the events below seem to have taken place for a couple of years but are now on hiatus; others are in their inaugural year; a rare few are celebrating over a decade in operation!
This list is very much a WIP given the ever-changing industry of events management and funding. As always, I welcome any updates!
— Nicole Melanson
All About Women (Australia)
Designed to make you think and push your boundaries, All About Women is a vibrant festival that asks questions about gender, justice and equality.
Asian Women Writers Festival (Singapore)
Meet the Asian women writers who are making an impact in the world.
Berkshire Festival of Women Writers (USA)
The Berkshire Festival of Women Writers inspires, nourishes and strengthens women’s creative voices by offering stimulating workshops and events year-round designed to encourage women and girls to engage with one another and their communities, and develop as creative leaders.
Bristol Women’s Literature Festival (UK)
Bristol Women’s Literature Festival brings together the country’s best women writers, academics and feminist commentators to the Watershed for a weekend of thought-provoking discussion, debate and activity.
Bronte Festival of Women’s Writing (UK)
A festival showcasing and celebrating women’s writing.
The Feminist Writers Festival (FWF) was established in 2016 to support and promote feminist writers in Australia by hosting a biennial feminist writers festival and a range of one-off events throughout Australia. FWF builds on existing themes and voices around feminism and women’s writing by offering a space for critical engagement and practical support for all feminist writers and readers.
Festival of Women Authors (USA)
Join us for authors and their stories.
Heroines – Women Writing Women Festival (Australia)
The Heroines Festival celebrates the talents of women writers who reclaim, restore, and reimagine women’s stories.
Hobart Festival of Women Writers (USA)
Since its inception, the Festival has created space for established and emerging women writers to share their insights and skills through a variety of writing activities and public readings with audiences throughout Delaware County, the state of New York, and beyond.
Kentucky Women’s Book Festival (USA)
The Women’s Center and University Libraries host the event, which is part of the university’s observance of Women’s History Month.
Festival from a group of London-based crime writers who provide innovative events, debates, talks, interviews and workshops
Literary Women | Festival of Authors (USA)
We celebrate women authors, encourage new writers, and introduce the works of contemporary women authors to an audience of readers with a wide range of literary interests.
Pasadena Festival of Women Authors (USA)
PFWA is an annual festival that aims to recognize the accomplishments of authors, to advance community dialog about the literary arts and to raise money for literary programs at community non-profits.
Rose Scott Women Writers Festival (Australia)
The Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival was established in 2013 as an annual flagship event for The Women’s Club. The Festival showcases the rich diversity of genres in which contemporary Australian women writers explore issues of personal, social and political concern.
Women’s Literary Festival (USA)
In 2005, a group of women readers from throughout Santa Barbara County came up with the idea of holding an annual literary festival to celebrate women authors and the diverse life experiences that have shaped their writing. Thus the Women’s Literary Festival Santa Barbara was born, with our first festival held on March 4, 2006.
Women Writers Fest Bangalore (India)
Women Writers Fest, by SheThePeople.TV is a day-long festival that puts the spotlight on authors, writers, bloggers, and editors, featuring firebrand panellists from across genres. Throughout the festival, we’ll be celebrating female creativity and artistic achievements while discovering some of the best contemporary women authors around in India.
XX Womens’ Writing Festival (Wales)
The XX Women’s Writing Festival showcases writing by and for women from Wales and the world. The festival aims to bring together readers and new and established writers, plus editors and critics, to enjoy the burgeoning range and depth of writing by women from Wales in English.
WordMothers - for women writers & women’s writing 