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Sat 15 - Sun 30 Aug 2026
Get your diary out! Programme announced: Tue 16 June. Tickets on sale: Thu 25 June.
Who we are
The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a charity which has been bringing outstanding writers and thinkers from around the world together with curious audiences for over forty years. We celebrate the power of words, examine pressing issues, shift perspectives, and create joyful experiences for those of all ages. Our programme sparks important conversations about the world around us, our place in it, and how we can improve it, together. Making these discussions accessible to anyone is at the heart of everything we do, in August and beyond.
Here, a book is a beginning – of a conversation, of a better understanding, of a debate, of a memory. What happens next is up to you.
Our work with communities

Paper Trails
Our ambitious, multi-year project, in partnership with Edinburgh Libraries and the Streetreads Library.
Story Nation
Connecting authors and artists with people in hospitals, prisons, and community spaces for older adults experiencing isolation.
Young People
We work with young people to build creative skills, open up the literary sector, and improve wellbeing.
Our latest news

2 April 2026Authors: Please be aware of scam invitations
We're aware of scam emails inviting authors to our August Festival, from email addresses which are not associated with the Book Festival.…
10 March 2026Launch and on sale dates for 2026 Festival announced
It takes ten months to cook up the Festival, and you're invited to the feast. We're getting ready to reveal the nearly 600 events we've…
24 February 2026Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 0 goes on tour
We're delighted that that Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 0 - our acclaimed original production created by Hamish Hawk and…

