A LITERARY festival that was lost during Covid is set to make a return to Keswick in 2024.

In 2022, organisers announced that the Words by the Water Festival would not be returning in 2023, citing the impact of Covid and 'difficult financial choices'.

Organisers have announced they are eager to return to Theatre by the Lake for a five-day festival from June 5 to June 9.

The festival, which began as a small event in Keswick 23 years ago, has grown over the years to attract many big-name authors to Lake District, such as Val McDermid.

One development in its year of absence is the new collaboration between local independent bookshop Bookends and festival organisers. 

Bookends director Lucy Matthews said: "For over 20 years, selling books at the Words by the Water festival has been an annual highlight for Bookends.

"We know how much our customers look forward to Words by the Water in Keswick so we are delighted to welcome the festival back to the community.

"We will have a very different role this year as, not only will we be selling books at the festival, we will also be organising and running the festival alongside Leah.

"We are thrilled to be working in partnership like this and believe this year will just be the start of a wonderful new era of Words by the Water," she said. 

Leah Varnell, festival organiser, said: "It has been a really challenging few years in the arts but we are absolutely thrilled to be back in full force to share ideas and bring the Words by the Water festival community back together.

"I’m looking forward to June and hope to see lots of familiar faces and new faces at the festival in Keswick in June." 

Theatre by the Lake is also keen to welcome back the long-standing festival.

Simon Stephens, executive director of Theatre by the Lake, said: "Words by the Water has always been an extremely popular event at the theatre and we know audiences have missed it in recent years.

"We’re really excited for the return of the festival and to be hosting a truly wonderful celebration of literature once again here at Theatre by the Lake."

Tickets will be available from April 15 for Friends of the Theatre by calling the box office 017687 74411 or online at www.theatrebythelake.com, and on April 22 for general booking.