Tickets still available for an exciting mix of events as the clock ticks down to 40th anniversary Ilkley Literature Festival.

With more than 250 events over 17 days from October 4 to 20, audiences for this year’s special 40th anniversary festival can still purchase tickets for a host of headline authors, as more seats are released for a range of writers and events.

Tickets are still available for several top names including Dragon’s Den’s Duncan Bannatyne, broadcasters Barry Norman, Jonathan Dimbleby, Kirsty Wark and Peter Snow, former politician Douglas Hurd and renowned chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Further tickets have also been released for a number of previously sold-out events including: Paul Morley, George Monbiot, William Dalrymple, Richard Moore, Nadeem Aslam and Louise Doughty.

Festival director Rachel Feldberg said: “This year we’ve seen a really even spread of sales across the board, with all genres proving very popular.

“Events across the programme are attracting big audiences, from headline authors to Festival Fringe events and talks targeting young people which is fantastic to see.

“People assume the headline acts sell out, but there are still tickets available for nearly two-thirds of the programme – that’s more than 160 events and talks, including a good number of those big names.

“With less than four weeks until the festival opens, we warmly encourage people to act now to snap up tickets to see the fantastic mix of writers we’re bringing to the region as part of our 40th anniversary festival.”

This year’s events for young people are proving popular but there are still tickets for a number of leading children’s writers including Louise Rennison, author of the popular Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging who returns to introduce her latest installment of the Tallulah Casey books The Taming of the Tights on Sunday, October 20, at Ilkley Playhouse.

Another highlight is children’s favourite, Christopher William Hill, who will read from his new book Osbert the Avenger and use some weird and wonderful smells to really bring the story to life on Saturday, October 12, at All Saints School.

A series of events as part of the 40th anniversary element celebrates writers and genres connected with past festivals with specific strands focusing on Ted Hughes.

To download the full festival programme or purchase tickets go to ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk.