Established in 2014, WhitLit has built a large and loyal audience, drawn by its distinctive mix of high-quality literary events and its relaxed coastal setting. What began as an annual festival has evolved into a year-round programme, offering regular opportunities to engage with writers, ideas and storytelling in an intimate and welcoming environment.

From the outset, WhitLit has celebrated both internationally renowned authors and emerging voices, with a programme designed to be accessible, thought-provoking and rooted in place. The festival has also featured a series of themed years inspired by Kent’s rich literary heritage, with programmes focusing on figures such as Somerset Maugham, Ian Fleming, Winston Churchill and Vita Sackville-West—connecting global literary culture with the county’s own remarkable history.

Over the years WhitLit has hosted hundreds of events, welcoming an exceptional range of writers, broadcasters, historians and public figures. These include David Nicholls, Rick Stein, Helen Dunmore, Patrick Gale, Sandi Toksvig, Kate Mosse, Susan Hill, Lynda La Plante, David Owen, Louis de Bernières, Jonathan Coe, Victoria Glendinning, Susie Dent, Terry Waite, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Angela Hartnett, Alison Weir, Selina Hastings, Lyn Barber, Alan Johnson, Peter James, Luke Jennings, Andrew Lycett, Steve Cole, Louise Doughty, Victoria Hislop, Andrew Lownie, Martin Bell, Kate Adie, Philip Hensher and Kathy Lette.

Today, WhitLit continues to play an important role in Whitstable’s cultural life, bringing audiences and writers together in a unique seaside setting, and reinforcing the town’s reputation as a creative hub on the Kent coast.