Explore Events

As we can't put on our usual 900+ event Festival this year in our lovely tented village in Charlotte Square Gardens, we've curated a special online edition. From 15-31 August, enjoy events for adults and children for free. Through the magic of technology, we’ll be crossing continents and time zones to beam events from more than 30 countries straight into your home. What’s more, you’ll be able chat with fellow Festival goers via digital chatrooms and take part in Q&A sessions, and you'll even be able to meet the author and get your books signed (selected events).

All events are free and available to watch here on our website. See events below. 'Save your place' on the event page and we'll email you a reminder just before it starts.

Use one or more of the search filters below to find events.

    Browse this year's themes

    Brain-fizzing Facts with Emily Grossman

    Age 7+

    Monday 31 August 10:00 - 11:00

    Brain-fizzing Facts with Emily Grossman View event
    Why is your elbow called your funny bone? How could you escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaw? Which animal can breathe through its bottom? Marvel as much-loved broadcaster, STEM ambassador and all-round science superstar Emily Grossman uncovers...

    Kayus Bankole & Kei Miller: Outriders Africa from East to West

    Monday 31 August 11:30 - 12:30

    Kayus Bankole & Kei Miller: Outriders Africa from East to West View event
    As part of the Book Festival's Outriders programme exploring the shifting landscapes of contemporary Africa, we hear from award-winning writer Kei Miller, whose barnstorming latest poetry collection, In Nearby Bushes, was tipped as one of the best books...

    Oliver Jeffers: What We'll Build

    Monday 31 August 13:00 - 14:00

    Oliver Jeffers: What We'll Build View event
    Join world-renowned artist and picture book maker Oliver Jeffers as he talks about the power of storytelling through art, discussing and demonstrating his working practice in an event aimed at students and art lovers. The event will also introduce...

    Matt Haig: The Library of Second Chances

    Monday 31 August 14:30 - 15:30

    Captioned Event Matt Haig: The Library of Second Chances View event
    Matt Haig was already a beloved author for his trademark disconnected outsiders — from vampires to aliens — trying to get to the bottom of what it is to be human. But the 2015 publication of his memoir Reasons to Stay Alive, a powerful account of...

    Arundhati Roy: Portal to a New World

    Monday 31 August 16:00 - 17:00

    BSL Event Arundhati Roy: Portal to a New World View event
    Following her unmissable conversation with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the 2019 Edinburgh International Book Festival, we are thrilled to welcome back one of the world’s best-respected authors to discuss her new book of essays, Azadi. The...

    Writers Network Showcase: Scotland's Heritage, Then and Now

    Monday 31 August 17:30 - 18:30

    Writers Network Showcase: Scotland's Heritage, Then and Now View event
    'The report that only the poets can make' wrote James Baldwin in 1962. In 2020’s global climate, what might a report by Scottish writers look like? How can poetry speak back to Scotland’s literary heritage and complex relationships with nature,...

    Edwin Morgan: A Centenary Celebration of Scotland’s Great Poet

    Monday 31 August 19:00 - 20:00

    Edwin Morgan: A Centenary Celebration of Scotland’s Great Poet View event
    Almost exactly ten years ago, on 17 August 2010, an eerie hush fell on the Edinburgh International Book Festival as word spread around Charlotte Square Gardens that one of the most significant poets of the 20th century, Edwin Morgan, had died. The...

    Closing Night: A Case For Hope

    Monday 31 August 20:30 - 21:30

    Closing Night: A Case For Hope View event
    Hope — Rebecca Solnit memorably wrote — is an embrace of the unknown. While embraces might be a lost pleasure from a pre-COVID age, it’s clear we’re living in an age of plentiful unknowns. But amidst the uncertainty and fear, the grief and the...

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