Gen Z drives the book boom - what this means for literary festivals
When you think of festivals and Generation Z, music might spring to mind. Young people are powering a global surge in festival culture — from Glasto to grassroots events — driving energy, community, and economic impact wherever they go. But the same generation that’s dancing at music festivals is also fuelling a quieter cultural revolution: the book boom. And this shift holds powerful potential for book festivals like the newly launched Lake District Book Festival.
In an age where our lives are dominated by screens, it’s Generation Z – the so-called “digital natives” – who are surprising everyone by driving a new boom in books.
Forget endless scrolling. Increasingly, young people are turning to binge-reading as a way of switching off, escaping into stories, and discovering the joy of physical books. Waterstones recently reported a 5% rise in revenue, fuelled by a surge in younger readers. Fiction sales alone jumped 12.2% last year, offsetting declines in children’s and non-fiction. Across the Atlantic, Barnes & Noble is experiencing even faster growth, planning 60 new store openings a year.
So why are Gen Z embracing books?
James Daunt, CEO of Waterstones, explained it simply: books offer a relatively inexpensive form of leisure compared to other activities – and once young adults begin collecting, it quickly becomes a habit.
“They want to do something not staring at a screen and relatively inexpensive, and once people start collecting books they just buy more,” he told Retail Gazette.
For a generation often defined by its digital habits, there’s something powerful about the tactile pleasure of turning pages, curating shelves, and sharing recommendations offline. Bookshops have become a counterbalance to the intensity of online life – a space to slow down, connect, and explore ideas away from the glare of the screen.
Why this matters for the Lake District Book Festival
In developing the Lake District Book Festival, we know first-hand the power of books to bring people together. The rising trend of younger readers not only fuels book sales but also creates an incredible opportunity for festivals, publishers, and sponsors to connect with this new audience.
Cultural engagement: Gen Z are not just reading; they’re curating collections, creating book clubs, and sharing experiences. A festival amplifies this by turning solitary reading into a collective, cultural moment.
Accessibility and affordability: in a cost-conscious age, books remain one of the most democratic forms of entertainment. Our festival reflects this, offering a wide range of events at accessible price points – alongside free community programming.
Sponsor opportunity: for brands and organisations that care about wellbeing, sustainability, and community, supporting a book festival taps into values that matter to this generation: authenticity, learning, and connection.
The message is clear: far from being lost to their screens, young people are embracing the world of books with renewed energy. And as they build collections and discover new voices, they’re also helping to sustain and reimagine literary culture for the future.
The Lake District Book Festival is proud to play its part in this movement – showcasing writers, sparking conversations, and inspiring the next generation of readers.