Membership

We keep in touch throughout the year with regular emails to Friends and Champions featuring news, membership benefits information, as well as some additional Festival related information between June and August. We also post a printed copy of the programme brochure in June. 

The start of advance booking is staggered according to your type of Membership.

We anticipate our main 2026 advance booking period to happen in mid-June. We will also run advance booking again for a small number of events at McEwan Hall in April. 

You'll be sent full details by email in the run-up to advance booking as well as by post with your programme brochure in June (including the advance booking phone number).

There is no longer a cap on the number of events you can buy tickets for during advance booking. However, there is a cap on the number of tickets you can book per event (Friends and Friends Plus+: 2 per event, Champions: 4 per event). Friends and Champions can, however, book up to 5 tickets for each children's event. Tickets for livestreamed and on demand events can be booked at any time, and there’s no limit on the number of tickets available. Our livestreamed and on demand events are available on a donate what you can basis.

It's our policy to ensure that some tickets will always be available for the general public when the Box Office opens on the first day of public booking. The number of tickets available to Members during advance booking is therefore limited and all tickets are subject to availability. Although Members have a considerably greater chance of getting tickets for events in high demand, Membership does not guarantee tickets will be available for all events.

Memberships last for one year from the date of purchase. You will be sent a reminder to renew your annual Membership no later than a month before it is due to expire.

To save you going through the renewal process every year, you can set up a direct debit to pay for your Membership. This can be done when you’re renewing online, or if you’re signing up online as a new Member.

Renewing your Membership and setting up a direct debit can also easily be done over the phone by contacting us on 0131 718 5653. Friends Plus+ and Champions can choose to pay either monthly or annually.

Our Memberships run on a 12-month minimum term. If you cancel your direct debit before reaching 12 months, the remaining balance becomes due or your Membership benefits and renewal options will be withdrawn.

Memberships can be renewed online at any time up to 28 days before your current Membership expires.

You need to have a web account for our online booking system that is linked to your Membership account. Sign in with the email address linked to your Membership (the one we usually send your Membership communications to) - follow the password reset prompts if this is your first visit to our new website.

If you already have a Book Festival web account, you can see if it's linked to your membership by logging in and viewing your ‘My Account’ page, which should display your Membership details. If you can’t see your Membership details in your account please get in touch with our Development Team  0131 718 5653 or email  us at memberships@edbookfest.co.uk.

When you're signed into your account, a Membership renewal or purchase button will appear on our Membership page, which allows you to add a Membership to your shopping basket. Then simply follow the checkout process.

Once you've created a web account, you can also use this to book tickets online once booking opens, you can make online donations, and it allows you to update your personal details throughout the year without needing to contact us.

If you'd like to change your Membership level (e.g. upgrade from Friend to Friend Plus+ or Champion), please give us a call on 0131 718 5653, and we’ll get things rolling.

You can contact us from Monday to Friday, 10:00-16:30 by calling 0131 718 5653 or emailing memberships@edbookfest.co.uk