HSBC Ceylon Literary and Arts Festival 2026

Day two of the Festival delivered some of its strongest highlights, with sessions featuring globally bestselling author Julia Quinn, alongside Ashok Ferrey. The day also hosted engaging panel discussions on the current state of journalism. Rounding off the programme was a lovely jazz night, making day two a standout of the Festival.

Day three brought the Festival to a high with collaborative sessions that paired authors from the same genres to explore themes such as the art of translation and the notion of scandal. With Helen Macdonald hosting thoughtful sessions and lively, engaging conversations between authors including Julia Quinn and Ira Mukhoty, the Festival outdid its previous year, setting an impressive benchmark and raising expectations for what’s to come.