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Belton's Literary Festival

Belton Estate’s first Literary Festival will celebrate the amazing collection of books in Belton’s care with a fantastic series of themed events!

  • Booking not needed
  • Free event (admission applies)

Belton Estate’s first Literary Festival will celebrate the amazing collection of books in Belton’s care with a fantastic series of themed events!

From an art installation in the house, to a stunning garden display of illustrations from A Story of the Seasons and in-person event with its illustrator Carolina Rabei, outdoor theatre, a big second-hand book sale, and period dance performances by the local Bonnets and Breeches Society!

Festival displays:

Grantham Arts House Installation - A display of artworks inspired by a selection of the books in Belton’s collection and created by the talented local artists at Grantham Arts.

A Story of the Seasons - Pages from A Story of the Seasons, with stunning illustrations by Carolina Rabei, on display in large format along the East Lawn in the gardens.

Events:

Wednesday 3 June - Coptic Stitch Bookbinding Workshop

Saturday 6 June - Children’s illustration workshops with Carolina Rabei

Tuesday 9 and 30 June - BSL-interpreted Storytelling for under 5s

Saturday 20 June and 4 July - Themed family crafts

Wednesday 24 June - Richard Madden ‘Great British Journeys’ talk

11, 27 and 28 June and 9 and 11 July - Bonnets and Breeches Dance Society

13 to 14 June and 4 to 5 July - Second-hand Book Fair

Friday 19 to Sunday 21 June - Adventure Cinema

Wednesday 1 July - Canvas Work Bookmark Workshop

Friday 3 July - ‘From Chawton’ one-woman play in the house

Sunday 12 July - ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Duke’s Theatre on The Oval

Times

Prices

Event ticket prices

This event is free, but normal admission charges apply for the venue.

Check admission prices

The basics

Meeting point

Please arrive at Belton as normal.

Accessibility

Belton Estate has multiple accessible toilets including a changing places facility. The upper ground floor of the house is accessible by stairclimber but unfortunately the first floor can only be accessed by stairs. The garden display is accessed by largely flat surfaced paths.

Contact info

The team at Belton

Upcoming events

International Garden Photographer of the Year Exhibition 

Enjoy a stunning display of images selected for the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition, outdoors in our gardens.

Event summary

on
11 May to 27 May 2026
at 09:30 to 17:30+ 16 other dates or times

Conservation and Care 

Discover the various risks to the collection and the ways in which our expert team work to counter them.

Event summary

on
12 May to 15 Jul 2026
at 11:00 to 15:30+ 17 other dates or times

Belton Circular Walk - Gardens 

Join one of our Rangers for a leisurely and informative walk around Belton Gardens. Stroll along the river Witham, amble through the Wilderness Gardens, and discover a diverse range of habitats while getting closer to nature.

Event summary

on
14 May to 13 Aug 2026
at 10:30 to 13:00+ 1 other date or time

House Volunteering Day 

Ever wondered what it's like to volunteer in Belton House? Now's your chance to find out with a drop-in House Volunteering Day!

Event summary

on
14 May 2026
at 11:00 to 16:00