Visiting the festival

There is much to enjoy during a visit to the Book Festival, it's not only about the events! The festival's home, the beautiful leafy Charlotte Square Gardens (at the west end of George Street, a minute away from Princes Street), is a wonderful space in which to sit, talk, think, play and be entertained. You can see a favourite author, join in a workshop or debate, enjoy a cuppa in the café, a beer or a wee dram in the Highland Park Spiegeltent, or simply park yourself on the grass (with or without a book) and soak up the atmosphere.

We run two independent bookshops in Charlotte Square Gardens - one for adults and one especially for children. They stock thousands of titles by visiting authors plus a wide array of contemporary literature, with all proceeds going directly back into the Book Festival.

There are plenty of refreshments on site with our three cafés offering a variety of fairtrade hot and cold drinks, light snacks, yummy cakes and ice-cream plus a fully-licensed bar.

And for 2010 we have created a brand new mini-festival called Unbound which takes place every evening from 15 August in the Highland Park Spiegeltent from 9pm until 11pm which offers authors the opportunity to try new approaches - expect a mix of literature, music, a good glass or two of the fine stuff and a few surprises. It is absolutely free, so come along one evening with some friends and soak up the atmosphere.

 Remember, entry to the Gardens is FREE and EVERYONE is welcome!