Off The Shelf Festival of Words 2025

Sheffield's annual festival celebrating books, words and ideas, is one of the UK’s largest literary festivals. Taking place 10 - 26 October, the festival will once again be bringing some of the biggest names in literary talent, media and the arts to South Yorkshire.

Let the Light In – Lemn Sissay

Hear one of our most beloved poets read from this collection, a first aid kit for the heart, as well as his other work.

Out of Character: From Abigail’s Party to Gavin and Stacey – Alison Steadman

In a career spanning film, television, stage, and radio, Alison Steadman has become a national treasure, renowned for her memorable roles in productions like Gavin and Stacey, Pride and Prejudice, and Abigail's Party, among many others.

Bolsover Castle – Lucy Worsley

Passionate about making history accessible, TV's Lucy Worsley will share the fascinating story of Bolsover Castle, a 17th-century pleasure palace in Derbyshire that holds special significance for her as the site of her first job with English Heritage.

Festival of the Outdoors

Kicking off the outdoor season with a bang! Each March, Festival of the Outdoors offers a full month of events and activities celebrating Sheffield's great outdoors and communities. With a really wide variety of events there's something for everyone!

Little Amal in the City of Sanctuary

As part of the extraordinary project The Walk, Sheffield Theatres is proud to welcome Little Amal, a 3.5m puppet of a 10-year-old refugee girl, as she nears the end of her international journey from the Syria-Turkey border to Manchester.

Festivals

Womanthology

Womanthology is a digital magazine and professional community for women of all ages and backgrounds as they progress through their careers. It is powered by female energy and ingenuity. The platform champions positive female role models by sharing good news stories, best practice and wisdom from everyone, regardless of gender, collaborating to create a gender positive experience in the workplace.

Sheffield comes top in TimeOut's most underrated city breaks

Sheffield has been listed at No.1 by TimeOut magazine as the most underrated city break in the UK. The feature which included 12 cities such as Glasgow, Durham, Bristol and Liverpool, sited Sheffield's affordability, travel time from London and best-of-both-worlds offer as major perks.

Jo Towler

Music in the Round is the leading national promoter of chamber music in the country, delivering hundreds of events in the city and around the country each year.