City arts centre Storyhouse has announced that it will welcome back the WayWord Festival in 2026. Timed to coincide with the October half-term holiday, the multi-day extravaganza will include stories, theatre and creative experiences designed especially for children.
Confirmed literary guests include Emma Carroll; award-winning author, illustrator and writer Oliver Jeffers; and Andy Darcy Theo, known for his bestselling young adult books.
A highlight of the event will be the festival opener, ‘Horrible Histories’. The much-loved television show, based on Terry Deary’s books, will come to life on stage at Storyhouse with two fun-filled productions: ‘Awful Egyptians’ and ‘Terrible Tudors’.
Box Tale Soup theatre company will bring ‘The Wind in the Willows’ to Storyhouse’s Garret Theatre using skilful puppetry, allowing ticket holders to see Toad, Badger, Mole and Ratty on stage. The theatre will also introduce Shakespeare’s works to a younger audience with an all-new ‘Romeo and Juliet’ production with a child-friendly focus, with Kay Dekker adapting.
A wide range of other events and activities is planned to inspire, excite and fire the imagination while celebrating the power of words. As Halloween falls during the festival, there will also be spooky shows suitable for families taking place as part of the festival. Many of the events have an optional admission fee or are entirely free.
The 2026 WayWord Festival programme will begin on Thursday 22 October and run until Sunday 1 November. Storyhouse is easy to find on Hunter Street in the heart of Chester.